


Danganronpa Presents! The Magnificent Despairful Showtime!

by eceryilyn



Series: The Magnificent Despairful Showtime [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Fangan Ronpa, Future Spoilers For SDR2 & V3, Gen, Literally Just Spoilers For Canon Games & Anime Everywhere, Minor Spoilers For DR3 Anime (Both Hope And Despair Arcs), Murder Mystery, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2020-12-24 21:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 227,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21106352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eceryilyn/pseuds/eceryilyn
Summary: "Ladies and Gentlemen! Gather around for one last wonderful game by the Glorious ******! This time, the game is situated at this renowned hotel, Yumeino Hotel! We have invited 16 Ultimates to participate in our wonderful game! Will they be able to overturn the game itself? Or will the terrible despair curse caught up to them? How unfortunately exciting! Let the game begin!"..........."We will stop the killing game...."Hoshino Sumire and fifteen other Ultimates are determined to make it through the game. However, no matter what, fate always tempted them in one way or another. She turns to find aid in a scornful person with an opposing talent to hers, who knows a lot more than she does.





	1. Prologue: Curtains Arise!

**Author's Note:**

> Buckle up for the most self-indulgent Fangan Ronpa story I have ever written (and that says a lot). 
> 
> I've always wanted to try and write fanmade story of my own but always felt like my storytelling can fell way too shortly. I'm also aware that there are lot Fangan Ronpa stories on this website so if there are any similarities, please do know they are just mere coincidence! I try to distribute as much of the Free Time Events to the characters (but I can't promise every single of the characters to be completely flesh out so that will be a separate story!)  
I won't promise any great things coming from the story but I hope you all enjoy the story nonetheless!

_......_

_"Are you going?"_

_I keep eyeing on the letter I received this morning, feeling anything but conflicted. It came in a brown parcel, neatly packed with a red and white ribbon; if anything, the way it was packaged made it more suspicious. My first instinct was that it was some sort of prank gift.... or even a ticking bomb considering my position._

_However, against my better judgement, I opened it just to see some miscellaneous gadgets and a letter.... an invitation of sort for a prestigious school that I never heard of. The logo resided on top of the letter caught the attention of a figure behind me as he spoke out;_

_"Well, you're a lucky one. This might be a good opportunity for you to broaden your field and... who knows, maybe you will grow a lot more better than being secluded here....."_

_"Being secluded.... huh" I muttered under my breath, the content of the letter still bewildering my sense of just. I neatly folded and placed it aside, "You think I could fit in better than I did with your peers?"_

_The figure laughed, "They all love you nonetheless, you're the best damn thing to ever step in that place besides me. Besides, you need to spread your wings once in a while. You can't just go **into hiding** every time you get this kind of chance.... you will regret it one day....."_

_**Into hiding**, the one thing I'm good at. I'm not fond of crowds but if this person have that much faith in me..... then; "Fine, I will go. But I won't promise that I would do well......"_

_I felt my hair ruffled, messed up and a hearty laugh booming above me. "You're still a child stuck with an adult's mind...... you don't have to go and report everything you do in school. You should take it easy..... you don't have much time to sit back and relax...... go and make some friends at least.... have the best damn time of your life...."_

_......_

_................._

_.............................._

_Hah, if only he fucking knew what lies ahead for a recluse like me....._

* * *

"Wha-" I felt gravity pulling my whole body down as I made a full impact to the ground. Groaning, I tried to lift myself up, observing my surrounding, "This..... looks like.... an abandoned... hotel?" Or so what I think it is. I can make out the layout of this room which seems to be the reception area, tattered red furniture lay barren next the wall of glass windows; I could see there's a pool out there but I doubt it's even clean.

I tried to make a steady footing and once I regained my stride, I looked around some more. No doubt, it's an abandoned hotel, floor adorned with green marble floor and the ceiling decorated with colorful stained glass, allowing little light shone through it. Judging by the pamphlets still left on the reception desk, it was named _'**Yumeino Luxury Hotel**'_. _'Yumeino..... that sounds familiar'_, I looked back and realized that I fell out from the elevator that's now closed. "Why..... was I in there....? Wait, no.... how did I get here....."

My memories all jumbled, like my ears are ringing with static, my mind's all fuzzy and full of endless questions; _was I kidnapped? Who left me here?** Why am I here to begin with-**_

Suddenly, the PA system in the room I'm in right now ring out, _"Attention, guests! It seems everyone is wide awake, up-and-at' em!"_ It's a high-pitched voice, that couldn't possibly belong to an adult. "I would seriously punch myself for thinking a child would kidnapped someone my size...." I humored myself, making light of the situation right now. The PA continues with a request for "_guests_" to gather at the auditorium, located a floor above the reception area. If I need answers, then I have not choice but to follow along.

I went back to the elevator, pressed the **_F1_** button, as the elevated made its ascend, my thoughts begin to wander; _**who's behind all of this?**_

* * *

When I stepped out of the elevator properly this time, there was a change in scenery; there's a waiting area right outside the auditorium, the floor is carpeted with gold and cream-colored complete with flower patterns, and the wallpaper consists of gold and light brown stripes. The wooden pillars looked masterfully crafted with lit candle bolted onto them, '_Wait, that's a hazard-_'

A loud commotion was heard from the two huge wooden doors ahead, they both seem to have.... _some kind of cat-like logo engraved onto them?_ However, the noise itself was intriguing, I pushed the door slightly and-

..................

................................

_Fifteen different faces, all heavily varied in fashion sense and height...._

_"Oh, that makes us sixteen people, then..."_

_"What? What an unsatisfying number! Why go for an odd number?! That's so annoying!"_

_"Shut up, dipshit. No one cares about some petty number. If you're too dumb to realize, we're literally trapped in some sort of rich man's orgy house!"_

_"It doesn't look it has been resided for a very long time...."_

_"I felt a very restless energy among us though-"_

_"Yeah, that's me and I will beat your ass if you're spouting that spiritual crap all over again!"_

"_**Silence!**_"

Everyone's attention turned to the white pixie-haircut girl, wearing a brown cardigan above her school uniform, her piercing yellow eyes staring right at me, "You're the last one to arrive..... do you remember anything before you got here..?"

"Um...." I find myself struggling form a sentence for some reason. "N-no.... I just fell out of an elevator..... and found myself in the reception area......"

"Che! Lucky bitch!" A boy with a thick rimmed-glasses and swept-back black hair, adorned with..... multiple layers of jackets (that are littered with colorful.. _or rather distasteful_ badges) spoke out, "At least you didn't find yourself trapped into some stinky swimming pool shower!"

"Beats finding yourself in some sort of storage room with rat shit and dead cockroaches...." sighed another one in a grey jumpsuit, his brown neatly gelled to the side, giving him a rather smart appearance.

_ **"Alright, alright, quit your bitchin'!"** _

All of us jumped a bit at the high-pitched voice we heard before. We looked ahead and on the stage...... _was a stuffed cat_....?

"I ain't a stuffed cat, if you are all thinking that!" It suddenly spoke. "I am yer' host for this special limited time only, _Monomyou!_ A very super, intelligent AI that will guide you through this luxury experience!!"

"An AI who has to say intelligent twice to get their point across as it seems....." chuckles the girl with twin-braided green hair and in a dark blue floral dress. "May we kindly know why are we all gathered here, Mr. Monomyou? Or even.... why were we here in the first place?"

"_Keeh-!! Such kind words!!_ At last, I heard some kind words spouting from this batch of dumb-numbs!!!" The AI cat seems to fake-crying, I picked up the word _'this batch' _from its sentence_. _"Well, I will explained everything as thanks for your kindness! You are all chosen to experience what Yumeino Luxury Hotel has to offer for the _**Ultimates**_ like you guys!"

"It doesn't seem much to offer as far as I can see....." A taller, messy red hair man appeared right besides me and I almost jolted, he noted my reaction and smirked, "What's wrong? Scared of human beings, _missy_?"

I swallowed down the lump that's stuck in my throat, this person.... _has some sort of bad energy surrounding him_. I ignored his presence and tried to focus on what the cat has to say next. It seems to be handing out some sort electronic tabled to others, "Each one of you would need this ElectroIDs to get around this place! You will need them for your rooms or even enter certain places! Don't lose them or I will be very furious at myaou! Eek-! I stuttered!"

The stuffed cat gave mine last, pressing down the power button, I saw my ID and the passport picture that I have taken recently;

—

_ **Hoshino Sumire**_

_ **December 25th** _

_ ** Ultimate Private Investigator ** _

—

'_An ultimate_.....' that title sounds absurd.... _me?_ An _ultimate_? Better than any other hardworking people in my field? _That sounds like a joke_.....

"I would like to explain the part of why are you guys here but it seems not all of you introduced yourselves!! Now, now, don't be a stranger from one and another! You guys will be here for a very long time!!" Monomyou seems to swayed from side-to-side in a happy-go-lucky manner. "I will popped right back up once you all buddy-buddy up!"

With that, Monomyou jumped down the trap door activated below them. multiple people went over the spot and tried to find the trap door but to no results. I clutched the ElectroID to my chest, feeling wary, '_Introduce myself..... that's a bother-_'

"You look like you're going to piss yourself, missy!" The loud booming voice besides me dragged me out of my trance. It's red-haired man from before, "Now, before you get lost in your silly imagination world, why don't say your name and talent, and maaaaaybe I won't consider robbing you!"

".... _**Hoshino Sumire**_....." I feel ridiculous introducing to someone shady, " ...... _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_...."

His eyes widened, he grabbed my hands along with my ID into his as his eyes gleamed with curiosity, "Wow! We got a Sherlock in this party! How lucky! We can escape in no time!"

Nervously, I tried prying my hands out of his grasp but he hold onto them tightly, "A-and you are....?" That's when I saw his smile, his mischievous smile that I soon to learn his intentions won't do us any good, "My name is _**Mafuyu Hisao**_, the _**Ultimate Con-Man**!_" He finally lets go as I staggered a bit from the revelation, "_It would be a pleasure to work with you, missy_...."

Feeling that this situation would only escalate into something bad happening, I scrambled to find a crowd and away from Hisao,_ something that I never thought of doing. _In fact_, I never thought this would be the first time **I** would be running away from a criminal_.

* * *

After making sure Hisao isn't going after me or anything, I sighed in relief, the tension before was not like anything I have experienced, it was almost suffocating. "Did that unpleasant man bother you?" I looked up to see grey-ponytail man smiling with gentle green eyes, he's wearing a simple white shirt and black pants with a black and purple haori draped over his shoulders. Unlike before, he's surrounded with a more pleasant aura, "Y-Yeah..... I didn't expect to meet that kind of person here...."

_I wanna hit myself. Of course, I should expect it. Especially in a situation like this_. "What's your name?" This time, I initiate the conversation. The man bowed slightly in respect, "Pleasure to meet you, my name is _**Oki Renma**_, the _**Ultimate Medium**_." A medium? This is the first time I met one personally. Looking carefully, I can see bunch of parchment papers hanging from one his pocket. He seem to realized where I was looking at, "Those are protection charm, I placed them on walls to protect the room from evil wandering spirits....."

"Interesting...." I muttered, I'm not one to believe in spirits but it's still neat to learn about this sort of things. "So, you can easily contact them whenever you want?" He smiled and laughed at bit, a slight blush on his cheeks, "There are certain requirements of course. I could only contact the spirits who fully realized themselves and aren't restless.... spirits who couldn't accept their demise are rather fussy and difficult to come in contact."

I remembered when I first enter here, a voice saying that there's a restless energy resided here, so it was Renma who've said that. He looked straight at me, studying my whole figure, "You.... have such a troublesome energy surrounding you.... could it be you lack self-worth?" That.... was incredibly blunt of him to say that, ".... That's very straightforward of you....."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings..." He quickly put up his hands in defense, showing how regretted those words slipped by his mouth. "Oh dear, I didn't realized that came out rather insensitively! I hope you forgive me for that...." "No, It's okay, I don't mind-"

"_**Hey you!!!**_" Both of us looked at the boy with multi-layered jackets and colorful badges on, crossing his arms with a stern face, "Spouting that occult nonsense again!? Quit that shit or else I will shove those papers right up your a-!!" He was cut off by the grey jumpsuit man punching him on the head, "For goodness' sake, you're begging to choke on a soap for realsies'...." "Oh fuck you, you airheaded freak!"

Renma and I silently watched at the two started squabbling and arguing with each other, throwing obscenities that keeps getting dirtier. This gave the medium a chance to introduce them properly, "The boy with a rather filthy mouth is **_Mochizuki Higura_**, _**Ultimate Graphic Designer**_, he's actually a very sweet guy and really creative with his hands, _no dirty jokes intended_, he can be.... very hot headed. And the one in the jumpsuit who tolerates him is _**Oozora Saku**_, the _**Ultimate Aerobat**_, energetic, spunky but knows his boundaries to not jump on people out of excitement. Both of them have rather matching energy and spiritual level so it's a perfect balance."

I nodded slowly, seeing how the two tries to out-best each other with more gruesome insults, "They are an interesting duo.....". Saku had Higura in a headlock position, smiling once he finally shuts the other up, "Nice to meet you! I heard from Hisao that you're an investigator! That's totally cool!" I clenched my fists when I heard that name again, "Y-Yeah.... my name is Hoshino Sumire.... nice to-" "Sumi! Right!" The aerobat lets go of the smaller boy to shake my hand, "Call me Saku!" Renma wasn't lying that he's full energy, a single excessive handshake was enough to make my arm sore. "Hey, Gura! Introduce yourself!"

"Why should I!? That ghostfucker already did and it's fucking embarrassing! _'Sweet' _my ass!" Higura yelled loudly, still lying on the ground. Saku sighed as he lift him up, saying how his attitude would only drive people away and was rewarded with even more insults. "They're like brothers, aren't they?" a soft voice spoke up behind, it was the woman with the braided green hair, who bravely spoke to Monomyou earlier. Renma beamed, "Ah, Ms. Hanabusa! I applaud for your cool-tempered approach just now! Ms. Hoshino, this is _**Hanabusa Hinako**_, the _**Ultimate Animal Behaviorist**_.."

"_An animal whisperer_..." My eyes widened, I have always enjoy listening to people like her because they're always so full of passion that it made you want to match your excitement along with them! "Nice to meet you! My name is Sumire, private investigator!" Hinako waved as her own way of greeting, "Same goes to you as well, Mrs. Investigator. I'm surprised for a small rabbit like you have such a tough job." _A rabbit? Am I that small? Or... am I just not scary enough...?_ I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. The behaviorist looked at me carefully before speaking, "_Mitsuru, it's rude to touch other people's hair without asking, you know?_"

"What!?" I whipped back to see a girl around my height, lilac hair with its tip having multicolored strands and an brown apron on top of a school uniform. "Sorry!!" the girl, Mitsuru, clapped her two hands together, "It's just that your hair looks so vibrant and silky and-!! I really wanna know what kind of dye you use and your daily hair care routine!! Oh and I'm _**Asami Mitsuru**_, the _**Ultimate Cosmetologist**_!" She then strikes a superhero pose with her scissor and hairspray, as I only stare at her dumbfounded, "H-Huh..... yeah, same here..... um... I don't have any care routine..... and I just use some store-bought magenta hair dye...."

"Huh!? You have naturally thick, healthy hair!? Impossible!!!" Mitsuru gasped. "I'm jealous! I wish you could lend me some of your hair genes! It's going to be hard to take care of long hair in this moldy environment!!" "I.... gotta go...." I quickly excused myself once it became too crowded. _A medium, a graphic designer, surprisingly an aerobat, a behaviorist, a hairstylist and a conman_, what an interesting roster of people. It doesn't seem like they chose people of higher positions, it's all completely random. _'It's too late to judge now, I have to talk to those other people as well....'_, I eyed on the other group that are more quiet. _That's odd, I actually find this introduction time....... kind of fun_.

* * *

I recognized the white pixie-haircut girl from before and she seemed to saw me heading towards their group, "You're done introducing to those people there?" I nodded and her face softened up, her posture remained regal-esque, "Excellent, allow me to introduce myself. My name is _**Takara Homare**_, the _**Ultimate Fencer**_." "Likewise, my name is Hoshino Sumire....." A fencer.... the way she idle does make sense. A fencer, in or even out of sports, needs to be graceful no matter what. Even when the competitor starts to fall out of line or fight dirty, they still need to keep their composure. Without a warning, Homare took my hand and inspect them closely, smiling to herself, "Such perfect care..... fitted to hold a sabre....."

'_Wow, she could tell...?_' I stared at her astonishingly before she lets it go. "I apologized..." she coughed, "I will let you introduce yourself to others.... if you're troubled, you can talk to me about it....." I took a mental note of that, and approach a medium-built man wearing a green bomber jacket and a dark red beanie. Suddenly, he thrust his hand towards me as if he's aiming for a jabbed in my neck but I managed to stopped his hand on time. "Yoooo! You have really fast reflex! Neat!" He smiled as he retracts his hand, "Heard you're an investigator, that's cool! The name's _**Yoshimune Taiga**_, the _**Ultimate Marksman**_!" "A marksman...?" I arched my eyebrow, "So you're a military man...?"

"Wrong! I'm a free bird!" He laughed it off, "That's my pops', he's a mean sharpshooter in the military! I'm just a kid who got curious and turns-out to be fast learner! Now, before you say he's a horrible parent for leaving guns around, it's actually me who wouldn't keep away from these things especially when they're kept underground with five highly-guarded cipher locks!" _I'm really confused at his talent_, he looks and act so chipper yet these sort of things he did sounds so.... _risky_. Before he could continue his list of accomplishments, another person joined in, "Alrighty! Before you make the young babe uncomfortable! Hi! _**Satoshi Kiharu**_! _**Ultimate Archaeologist**!!_"

While it's rude for people to cut in when people's talking, I'm sort of glad this person did before I looked like an idiot, "How fascinating!" I would have mistaken her ultimate to be an explorer or such with an all-brown attire but at least it's somewhat close. She looks incredibly beautiful, brown hair with yellows tips adorning her oval face and amber eyes, she has slightly tanned skin which proves she's really active on expedition site. Kiharu has that free-spirited attitude as she swing her arm around Taiga who does the same in return, "If ya need some bone-expert, leave it to me! I will shower you with knowledge!!" An interesting mirror to Higura and Saku just now, these pair is just brimming with positive aura.

"Hey, since you're an investigator. you must be good at handling guns, right?" Taiga asked. I shrugged, I do own one at my workplace but it was rarely advised to hold one up if needed. "Great! I needed someone to join me at that shooting range I passed by earlier! It would be awkward and suspicious if I'm all alone!" _A shooting range gallery?! Near a hotel!? Who on earth planned this place's layout!?_ "It's alright I got Homare's permission to do something dangerous!" So they established Homare to be the leader of the group, nothing wrong with that. I tried to look around for her but ended up bumping into someone else instead, "Whoa! S-Sorry! I didn't see you there!"

It's a small figure, barely reaches my shoulder and is slowly...._ wait, oh no, are they crying??_ "Sorry!! I didn't mean it!" I panicked. They slowly lifted their head up, "I-It's okay..... it's just that..... you're the first one to notice me......." "N-Notice....?" Sure, they're small but for being unnoticeable is a bit much, "Mind if I ask for your name?" They seemed to finally stop crying, wiping away their tears and shyly cross their arms together, "_I-I_.... _**Ishimoto Nao**_..... _**Ultimate Ghostwriter**_.... initials; _**I. Na**_" "I. Na....? Ah, I know you!" I exclaimed, an imaginary bulb lighten up in my head, "You're the infamous mystery thriller-crime writer who helped those newcomers in the literary world!"

I was in total shock, I didn't expect to meet one of my favorite writers here.... or would she really preferred to be called a writer? Ghostwriters aren't really acknowledged that much and at most, the writers themselves just credited them as '_assistants_' or '_research helper_' when they often do half of the work. But she seemed to be happy to be called one as she started wailing again, "I-I'm so glad! I got recognized as well!!" "A-Ah, please don't cry....." I tried comforting her. It must have been a terrible feeling being in someone else's shadow while you do the hard work, _I know how much that sucks first-hand_. "There, there, Nao......" a third voice joins in, a young man wearing a brown coat and undercut dark brown hair, he pushes back his rimless glasses, "My mistake, _**Yokoda Machi**_, _**Ultimate Librarian**_..... I would like to thank you for treating Nao so gently unlike that foul mouthed-siren over there....."

He then points at the two people chatting in the little circle, one of them, a slightly chubby person wearing a three piece suit, saw him and gave a rather heated glare. "It's hard to be a decent person nowadays......" Machi sighed. "I will save you some trouble and verbal abuse you're gonna get, the foul-mouthed siren is _**Sekiguchi Amane**_, the _**Ultimate Composer**_, a crazy perfectionist whose attention solely focuses on _**Setsu Hibiki**_, who, conveniently, is the _**Ultimate Opera Singer**_." Hibiki looks extravagant, the grey feathered long dress compliment her dark complexion and forest green eyes, they way her curly black hair neatly rested on her shoulder; Amane and Hibiki looked like they're celebrity couple or something, "They do look grand together..." "And that will be all the good thing about them....." Machi dismisses them immediately, "Sumi, right? Have you introduced yourself to everyone already?"

"Hmmm.... I think I have two more people to go.... but I can't seem to find them- **_shit_**...." as I searched around for the said people, I found them chatting with Hisao, the one person I least wanted to talk to now. Machi seems to follow my line of vision, landed of Hisao and exclaimed, "If you need help, just call out for Homare..... she can beat his ass twice, she can do it again...." "Noted, thanks for the advice....." I bowed as I left the silent and composed group. I mentally prepared myself as I slowly became near to the trio. Unfortunately, Hisao noticed my presence already, "Hey there, missy! Finally coming back with an apology for running away?"

"I'm not here for you....." I sternly said, right now, I'm determined to not show how uneasy I am around him. My eyes landed on the blue-haired boy with a weird hat on..... _is it a hat?_ It's looks like some kind of shell plush lazily placed on his head. "Nice to meet you..." he suddenly spoke with a soothing voice, "A greeting from one to you, the identity of _**Amahiko Shoma**, **Ultimate Marine Biologist**_, is bare, please to meet your acquaintance....." Shoma, certainly have a weird way of speaking but I find it oddly cute. He digs around the pocket of his blue collared jacket and handed me some sort of key-chain, "Here..... a souvenir of our newfound friendship..... a nautilus shell for everyone....." A small round shell that's similar to the plush he wearing right now, _'....oh, so that's what the thing is.....'_.

A cough caught my attention, I looked behind to see a spiky orange hair guy in a white tank top and ripped leather jacket with a confident smile on his face, "Heya! _**Osame Hiroshi**_! _**Ultimate Abseiler**_, the one and only greatest there is!" _Abseiler_, a rock climber, huh? "Hey, that sounds rather high and mighty for someone who's just going down on some rocks...." Hisao mocks. "That's ain't tough of a job for someone who thinks he grew enough balls to go into some spooky canyons". That seemed to ticked Hisao off, "Why you little-!!!" Before he could even get his hands on the conman, Monomyou pops out from the floor and landed between them.

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa_! No fighting! Not yet at least! Nyaha!" The stuffed cat laughs. "Now that it seems everyone has fully introduced themselves , it's time for the rest of the details!"

"Hey, little kitten!" Hisao called out to the AI. "Mind filling us now that we're all chummy-chummy together? There are some people here who can't keep their mouths shut for answers...." He looked to my side and smirked, he's trying to get Monomyou to get to the point without any ridiculous story bits or gags, _I wouldn't say a smart move but definitely useful_. I could see Monomyou reluctantly to burst into rage or even cry on the spot before it made up its mind, "Fine then! Basically, you are all gathered for this very special game; _**a killing game!**_"

The room became deadly silent, even the air turned cold. No one said anything after that sentence. It like, no one can really joked about something as absurd as _**killing**_.

"Huuuh? What the myatter?! Oh no! I stuttered!" Monomyou exclaimed, trying to sneak a gag in still. "A-Anyaway! I know what's everyone thinking! Why a killing game? Well, that's the main mystery of this game! Why, ask yourselves, were we dropped into this mess in the first place? Was it all your doing to willing step into this place? Orrrrr....... _did someone send you here to die?_"

_**Sent here to die**_, I swallowed the spit that's been collecting in my mouth, watching the cat going on with their speech.

"_What's important is that you all can't leave here.... not until there's two survivors left!_" Monomyou cheered. "Everything here is at your disposal, killer! _**Torch them, slaughter them! Ripped them apart till they're beyond recognizable**_!! Nyahaha! Oh! Also, they are certain rules to this game since we want everyone to have a fair chance! I've also updated your ElectroIDs to have these rules in preparation while you guys were all being happy-go-lucky!"

Shoma slowly raised his hand, "Mono... nyau? A critter here has a question....." the rest of us just stared at him in disbelief, wondering how on earth could he still following along with that attitude. Nonetheless, it caught the cat's attention, "Nyaha? Question? Yes, it's the host' responsibility to answer any lingering questions! What is it, young man?"

"_**What if we refused to kill each other?**_"

"Eh, refusal to kill? Hmmm..... well! The answer is simple! _**Everyone here dies!**_" Monomyou answered with too much excitement in its voice. "If no one dies in three days, then a game of _'Goodnight, Birdies'_ will commenced immediately! So all of you have no choice! It's either you die here with regrets or kill someone to escape! Well! Have fun, everyone! The fate of your friends' life is in your hands!"

With that, Monomyou disappeared into the trap door below, we made no effort to try and catch them. _Cold_, _the atmosphere is too cold_, we're all freezing, _standing still_ and not even a hush or whimper escaped from our mouth. Then..... _a laugh emerged_. A laugh that came from Hisao, the conman, not out of amusement but in disbelief, he stared right through me, _stone-faced cold me_, "_**I guess there's no escaping from reality this time, missy**_....."

......

_'I guess not....'_ I wanted to reply back but couldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Hoshino Sumire ('Sumi')  
[ Title ] Ultimate Private Investigator  
[ Height ] 165 cm  
[ Weight ] 45 kg  
[ Chest ] 38 cm  
[ Blood Type ] O  
[ D.O.B ] 25th December  
[ Likes ] Cute Things  
[ Dislikes ] Loud Noises  
-


	2. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Daily Life I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the colorful meeting that ended with cold dread, everyone scrambled to decide whether or not they could escape from the place. Meanwhile, the investigator just watches everyone's behavior from afar.... and out comes a helping hand offered to her.

** _Suffocating_ **

_Every night, it's the same thing, the same feeling...._

_No matter what or where I am, this heavy, crushing, suffocating feeling always lingered in my mind..._

_After hearing the news about this killing game...._

_It gets incredibly..... incredibly..... **worst**....._

* * *

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ladies and gentlemen! This is your daily morning announcement! Hope you all had a good night rest from yesterday... or not! Who cares! I know I slept well like a baby! Anyways, have your very myou-est of day!"_

_'That's right, we all went back to our respective rooms,'_ I thought to myself tiredly while staring the PA monitor in the room. Last night, it was bizarre and like a fleeting dream, we all left and slept in earlier. Everyone was quiet and nobody bother to look at each other at all. "This isn't the time to wonder in bed... I should get up," I kicked off the sheets and then sat up, catching my reflection on the mirror. 

_Geez, what a mess_; Tired eyes and hair strands all over the place, I looked even more dead than yesterday's. I tied up my hair and stepped into the bathroom.

.....

............

I found a lightweight winter jacket in the closet, doesn't looked it was used recently. Well, if it does belong to someone, Monomyou can just popped in and accused me of stealing anytime. I put the jacket on over my black shirt and pants with red ribbon tie. I didn't feel like wearing back the full attire from yesterday, something that made me looking like a military official. 

_Almost nine,_ I better get to the dining hall. Opening the front door, I was greeted by the familiar sight of a certain shell plush, "Oh, Mr. Amahiko-"

"Shoma..." He pouted as he tugged the nautilus plush further down. "We're friends now..... call me Shoma, Sumi...." He must have caught onto the nickname from that aerobat yesterday. "This critter here has ccome to pick you up for treatment...."

"T-Treatment....?" I blinked twice in confusion before realizing what he means. "Do you mean you're here to pick me up for breakfast?" Earning a nod from the other, I closed the door behind me and locked it using the scanner system on the handle to scan my ElectroID, _'Thankfully, this is the most secured way...'_ Once I heard the '_beep'_ from the handle, I turned to Shoma and asked just in case, "Did you locked your room as well?"

"I learned how to lock door after being scolded by the penguin-looking critter....." He replied every so slowly. "It's was scary.... Renma had to step in and actually teach me calmly how to use my device...."

_'Oh, he must be referring to the composer guy....'_ I shoved the ElectroID into the jacket as I smiled, "Shall we get going?" The biologist skipped his way to the elevator as I observed every single doors we passed by, _'His room is just two doors down and the conman is right across Renma's, Renma's room is way at the back.....'_

_This is the start of an unusual daily life for the Ultimates._

* * *

Right when we entered the dining hall, there's an argument already brewing. 

"What do you mean we should just listen to what that furfuck said?!" Higura yelled out, his left foot on top of the chair while glaring at Homare. "Are you saying we should just fucking give up and straight-up murder each other's asses!?"

"Like I've said, there's is no reason to do a stakeout...." Homare maintained her calm facade and kept her eye-contact with Higura as she sips her tea. "We have done it earlier this morning while everyone's still asleep....."

"Yeah, sorry dude, we got absolutely no chances....." Taiga pointed out his observation with a worried look on his face, "Every area of this place we're allowed to to wander around is heavily guarded with automaton soldiers... they even roamed around at night. I recognized those things, serious military stuffs. One step out of the line and they will immediately pulverized you....."

"And for what's supposed to be a luxury hotel, the layout made it seem like they're building a prison initially. Those high walls are built with remarkable electrified barbed wires...." remarked Hiroshi. "Not gonna risk getting barbecued there....."

"B-But! Surely, there must be an opening somewhere right!? Like an underground tunnel or the sewer!" Mitsuru argued but was quickly shut down with Hinako saying any access to underground tunnel system are locked up tight. "All communication are cut off as well...." Saku brought up another point, "Whoever planned this entire _'game'_ have thoroughly set up way too far ahead...."

With the argument getting more heated up, I was guided by Shoma to a seat next to Renma, who noticed us and waved, "Good morning, Hoshino. Slept well?" with his usual gentle smile.

"Haha, not really....." I nervously laughed, I always have trouble sleeping and sometimes I wouldn't sleep at hall. It's a habit I needed to break but this whole thing piling onto my troubles, I don't think it will get any better. "The others.... are still full of energy...."

"It's been like this ever since Mochizuki stepped into this hall...." sighed Renma. "Ever since, I can't make peace with the spirits residing here. They have rather strong distaste with loud noises and rude people...." 

Afterwards, Renma mentioned what Shoma and I have missed; Homare declared that each day, breakfast will be made by different people according to rotation. Today's meal was prepared by Homare with her french toast, Jasmine tea and chocolate eclairs she prepared specially for today only. I just made one bite into the toast before I catching myself melting at the fluffy texture and savory flavor.

"Such a harmony of flavor....." my admiring gaze turned over to the man besides me, the composer, _Sekiguchi Amane_, has a similar smile on his face. "As expected of a child who dined in the highest society, spoiling themselves every single living hour.... what an honor to experience such delicacy...."

"Calm down, they're just toast cooked in an egg...." Hisao snickers. "Wow, not only you're a creep clinging onto Hibiki, you're also a weirdo getting a hard-on for anything that's all gleam and glamour, huh?"

"Why, you little-!!!"

"Amane, that's enough....." the opera singer, Hibiki, called out to him. "You shouldn't take any words out of a criminal's mouth too seriously.... and you shouldn't even talk so highly about something as minor as an ordinary breakfast.... Learn some pride..."

"A-Ah yes...." Amane calmed down as he slowly sat back down. "My apologies, my lovely muse, I got all too worked up over a petty reason...."

"Your whole existence to bother me is a petty reason as well..." Hibiki sneered. 

_'I-It feels like I'm slowly losing my appetite the more I watched these three fighting across each other....'_ I awkwardly finished my breakfast quietly before Shoma interrupts, "Sumi, are you free this afternoon? There's this pool area I would like to check out later...."

"Oh, you mean the one that's near the reception area? Sure, I don't really have any plans after lunch....." I watched as Shoma continues to finish his ration. After washing up the dishes, I looked at the time on my ElectroID, _'Twenty minutes to eleven..... I think I have enough time to get to know someone here...._'

I looked around just to see who's left in the dining hall and in their seats.

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

Higura seems to be staring intensely into his ElectroID, I slowly approached him and touched his shoulder, "Mochizuki?" As if my touch just sent a static shock through his spine, he jolted upwards. "H-Huh!? What!? What the fuck do you want?! You wanna fight?!"

_What a reaction_, I retracted back my hand as I asked, "I was wondering why you were glaring at your ElectroID, is it malfunctioning?"

"Huh, this ol' thing? Nah, it's working a-fucking perfectly!" Higura puffed out his chest as if his overreaction just now was nothing at all. "In fact, unlike you all, I have the balls to make a deal with Monomyou to upgrade mine that will better suits me! Better taped your eyelids wide fucking open!"

He shows his own ID with an icon, that I've never seen before, situated on the bottom right corner. Once he pressed it, a bunch of applications opened up; mostly consist of creative-related programs, "With this, I can finally stress-draw my problems with a flick of my middle finger!"

"That's certainly.... _a feature_" I stifled back a laugh, I found it funny that he's being all high and mighty over a minor add-in. "Although.... it was as expected of a graphic designer. You must have a lot of passion in your field...."

Higura went into his thinking mode but it didn't take him too long to answer back properly, "_Nope, I fucking hate it_"

"Wait, why?

"_It's an over-saturated market and it just fucking sucks, okay?!_" He sat up, furiously stepping down his right foot onto the chair as he leaned forward. Just to clarify, Higura and I shared the same height so he's struggling to find a footing on his left leg while trying to even look down on me. "Passion dies quickly than you fucking think!! People are just _sentient simpleton garbage_ with_ linear tastes!_ You can make the grandest design and still people trash-talked ya' for being a show-off!! Ya' don't have much creative freedom! You do what people said and maybe, _just fucking maybe_, they will you gave that money that's barely enough to survive!!"

He looks like he's about to fall forward so I'm prepared to catch him anytime now as he continues with his speech, "_It's a tough fucking competition, a shark can easily eat a bunch of piranhas in one final swoop!_"

_A corporate media can easily crush many freelancer's hard work_, is what he tried to say in that last bit. Higura is more passionate about showing his skills to the world, not being known as the world's greatest designer or something similar to that. He finally took his foot off the chair and sat down normally, I sat next to him, "So you were a freelancer before you got recognized as an ultimate...."

"Yeah, and I ain't selling myself out to some company for some big sums. My works are dripping with pride and that ain't changing, not even a single pixel!" exclaimed Higura. "If ya' like that about me then cool, if ya' hate me then you can get the hell out of my face!"

That last sentence has to be an exaggeration, Higura can be egoistic but he treated every single one of his work with care and love. He probably doesn't want be a let down in anyone's eyes, "But you're still satisfied with your work, right?"

"Huh?" Higura had a surprised look on his face for a moment, before that irritating look is back. "Of course I am! Even thought it's shit, hey, if I lived then I lived!..... until I got into this fucking mess that is...."

"Don't worry, we will find another way in this place..... I promised....." I said to reassure him. It doesn't mean much for anyone like Higura but if it helps him enough.

"Hmph, you all better....." Higura's mouth twitched. "You're an investigator, right? You can outsmart that Mono-what's-its-name! I would love to see that fucking cat get blown into pieces once we shredded his fucking plan into pieces!"

_'His thought process is completely violent....'_ I kept that remark to myself._ 'I guess I knew him a bit better now....'_

* * *

'_It's noon now.... is it too early to leave?'_ I keep eyeing on the time, remembering about my promise with Shoma just now. Only a few people remained in the dining hall, still discussing about the place's layout. Homare split the group who will venture out to check out the buildings they haven't entered. So far, Nao, Machi and Kiharu discovered huge private and a lounging area just the southwest of the hotel while Saku, Hinako and Mitsuru discovered the bar and a huge swimming pool area on the northeast. 

"This place really likes pool.... not like they're anywhere near usable for skinny-dipping...." Mitsuru pouted in disappointment. Higura rolled his eyes back, "As if anyone wanted to see you naked.... hold on, where's that conman prick?"

"He was investigating the basement floor along with Hibiki and Amane...." said Homare. "From what he told me right after they came back, it looked like a wine cellar storage and there's no access to the sewer system or underground tunnels like Hinako said...."

"We even tested out those automaton soldiers' range!" exclaimed Taiga excitedly with Hiroshi looking rather distressed. Actually, he already looked like that after he came back with the marksman. "The limit is five meters within the restricted area before they set off, they all locked onto your movement and will only stopped once neutralized!"

It's amazing how much ground and information they have uncovered just under Homare's guidance, her leadership is really something else to behold of. Looking at the time again, I decided to excuse myself. "Huh? Huh? Where are you going, Sumi?" Mitsuru asked. "Ah, I made a promise with Shoma to check out the pool near the reception area.... I think Renma would be there too since he's not here....." I reassured them with a smile.

"Gasp!" _Did she actually say that out loud?_ "How brave of you to hang out with two boys near a scandalous area! Could it be you're desperate for some compliments from a couple of defenseless boys!? Oh, such bravery!"

"W-What on earth gave you that idea...?"

"Oh, that usually happened if a girl is looking for some funti-"

"Settle down, Mitsuru...." Homare seems to get really uncomfortable every time Mitsuru pressed on with her..... _fantasy_. I can see everyone in the room just stared at her in disbelief for some outrageous scenario, "You are dismissed, Sumire. Oh, and I would like to request that you would kindly take note of Shoma and Renma's whereabouts before and after noon when you're done....."

"Got it!" I bid farewell to the group in the dining hall.

* * *

"Shoma? I'm here-!? What the!?" The familiar sight of the floating shell plush enter my view as I rushed out of the reception area and headed towards the smaller pool area, "Hey, Shoma!?"

"Ah.... Sumi......" The biologist smiled as he lazily float around the water, spread out like a starfish while I see Renma just only soaking his legs from knees down. "The water is nice.... come and relax a bit....." Shoma looked like he's enjoying himself. I can't imagined being happy still in a heavily drenched jacket after he gets out of the pool.

"The weather is also nice out here...." said Renma with his calm expression. "Shoma thinks this is a nice way to get your mind off of a stressful situation...."

_'Stressful.... I guess Shoma wanted to help somewhat....'_ "Yeah, just give me a minute...." I said as I took off my jacket and shoes, placed them behind Renma, and then rolled up my pants. Slowly, I dipped my legs into the pool, enveloping into the warm water is a calming sensation. I sighed in relief, "Things are happening way too fast that I didn't get the chance to process everything...."

Renma let out a carefree laugh, "It's easy to get lost once in a while, like a wandering spirit with no direction. What the cute cat from yesterday have said might be alarming.... but you shouldn't let your conscious to be easily corrupted by such malicious intent..."

"A clear strong mind can easily pull through...._ even through the toughest time_...." Shoma continues as he float-by us. "..... You had the same worried face from yesterday, it's kind of making me feel distressed too......."

_'These two get along really well... easy-going and really brutally honest,'_ it just feels like they're talking down on me instead of comforting. _'Maybe I put too much thoughts into this.... I should shut the killing game stuff out and enjoy this peaceful moment at least.....'_. Seeing Shoma and Renma being able to find inner peace within themselves made me feel a bit jealous. 

_If only my mind can stop with the speculations and shuts down for one second. Maybe I could even find myself in a better place if I stop thinking too much._

"Hey, Sumi..."

"Huh?" I didn't realized it was Renma calling out to me, I didn't expect him to call me by that nickname either. He eyed on me silently before a smile appeared on his face, "Shoma is planning a slumber party in his room, maybe just the three of us. We could add in another one or two if you have someone in mind you wanted to invite...."

"Slumber party...? Wouldn't that be against the rul-!"

_"**That request was accepted!!**"_

Suddenly, Monomyou jumps out of the swimming pool in a full diving suit and landed onto Shoma's stomach, who didn't even flinched or looked to bother by the rude entrance as he still happily floats away. Renma almost grabbed me back by the shoulder as if it was a shark that's going to attack us. 

_"Ahem! As I was saying!"_ Monomyou started. "Normally, I wouldn't bat an eye if you switched rooms or anything but if it makes you super-duper safe, the request is officially recorded, recognized and accepted! Now have fun you three! Do ring out for any room service if you need snacks or anything! Toodles'!"

Monomyou jumped into the pool again, we watched as its silhouette slowly disappears into nothingness. The three of us were quiet before Shoma spoke up, "Myoumyou is such a nice host, don't you agree...?"

"I-I guess......" Still looking into the pool Renma and I still wonders how long did that AI cat was waiting down there. 

.....

........

I waved goodbye to the calming duo before I headed my way, _'Hm... I still got time... maybe I should looked around a bit more?'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

On my way to the reception hall, I stumbled upon Homare who's inspecting the front desk, "Ms. Takara?" No reaction, her gaze seems to be fixed onto the pamphlets I read from yesterday. "Ms. Takara..." I waved my hand in front of her face and it seems to caught her attention.

"Ah, Sumire....." she doesn't look to bothered that I ruined her concentration. "You're back from your hangout with Shoma and Renma?" I nodded as I pointed at those two through the windows, waving back and still at the pool outside. "_Good.... was the pool clean before Shoma_....?"

"_Sparkling clean_, it's like someone tidied up the entire place overnight or something...." I pointed out. I noticed how the reception looked drastically different than yesterday as well. Everything look spotless, shiny and grand as if the room itself shed off its tattered appearance. Well, nothing to complain about it being clean and all.

"It seems I have everyone's account noted and checked...." Homare chuckles. "Thank you for your input...."

"I didn't actually do anything?"

"True, but you did, in fact, secured the alibi for these two before I got here.... little info such as that can also be rewarding," Homare explained as she handed over a tiny notebook she had with her. "You see, I decided to take up the mantle to ensure everyone's safety and keep up to date with their routine. Even providing unimportant facts can be crucial down the line."

"Ah, I see.... you're very detailed in your own account as well, Ms. Takara....." Seeing something like this made feel nostalgic, I did something similar before when I first became an investigator. "Oh, do you mind if we talk for a bit?"

"I don't mind, I'm open for a small talk..." said Homare. Both of us sat down on the lavish red sofas that are thankfully dusted off any dirt or small animal droppings. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Huh? A-Ah.. I-" Truth to be told, I don't have any topic in mind. I though she would initiate the conversation but I did ask for her time so, "About the breakfast you prepared earlier! They were amazing! Do you usually prepare you own meal?"

"Certainly, as a competitor, I like to keep count on how much calories I consumed to keep my health and figure top-notch..." exclaimed Homare, sitting ever so gracefully and not slumping over. "But just for today, I would like to present a more savory dish for others to ease down and enjoy. It would be really rude of me to make something from my own extreme meal planning while everyone still feels unfamiliar with the place....."

"Extreme meal planning? Like what?"

"Well...." Homare hummed. "When I was still a novice in fencing, we trained non-stop to perfect our posture and strikes until the brink of exhaustion. Because of this, we, the students, needed to consume a lot more food than needed but while reduce any sugary intake at the same time as well. So my schedule usually have three break in the morning, one in the afternoon and one or even two in evening. And since I'm also looking after my own health, I usually prepared my own meal which leads to me waking up at four in the morning to prepare all of them...."

"W-Whoa.... you're so dedicated to your planning...." I muttered, amazed how she managed to maintained all of this while still being bright and not dying on the inside. "Don't you think you're worrying your parents there....? Seeing their daughter doing all those tasks by herself, surely they're very concern about you...?"

Homare crossed her legs and sighed, looking to her side as she spoke, "My family are known to be very lazy, as expected from a pair of successful business tycoons who became an eyesore for the public. They even have their own personal chef to do the meal planning for them and wouldn't think twice of what they eat. And since having a chef who doesn't understand your own planning is useless, I took manner into my own hands. Becoming a fencer was also my decision in order to prove my family's name to still possessed some integrity."

"They let you off of that?"

"It's my decision and it's not asking much from them...." said Homare. "They let me do whatever they want as long as I'm not damaging their reputation...."

Having parents who lacked any interests in what you're doing is upsetting but Homare is a strong-willed girl. She seems to have everything under her control, with parents or not, "Well, it's still nice to hear that your parents were not restricting you or anything to pursue your passion......"

"Hmm....." The fencer stared at me carefully. "How about you, Ms. Hoshino? Surely with your stature, you also possessed a routine in your hands?"

"_Yeah that_......" _Oh dear, I fear something like this will popped out sooner or later._ "I don't really eat that much. Ever since I became an investigator, my routine went completely out of the window. I usually had light breakfast and then that's it. Sometimes I'm stuck with a case for way too long to care about meals and stuffs, and I only took a few short snack breaks in between..."

I made it sound like a lighthearted joke about my forgetfulness but Homare doesn't looked she enjoy hearing that, "That's not something to be proud of! I was worried that only Mr. Mochizuki have this habit but you too!? This is absurd! Please take proper care of your health next time!"

"I-I promised...."

She then goes on with meal prepping and insist how she will, from now on, be checking up on me if I properly ate or not, _'I guess this makes us friends.....?'_

* * *

"Heeeey, little miss!!!"

_'I've been dreading this moment...'_ I tensed up before sighing in defeat. I turned around to see the conman being all giddy and smiling, "What do you want?"

"Who, whoa! Down with the attitude!" Hisao held both of his hands up as if he's trying to calm down a ferocious animal. "Geez, I just wanna talk to you, one-to-one? From a criminal to an investigator? You know, the usual stuffs! I saw you hanging out with a lot of people earlier today and that made me sad! I can be a good company too, you know!"

"Doubt it...." I clicked my tongue. Hisao trailed off a lot when talking, as if he's doing it on purpose. "Do you want to hang out or you just wanna steal something out of me?"

"Steal? Why I wouldn't!" he said in a mocking voice. "I actually don't care about stealing right now when I can get easily caught within the premise! Nope, I just wanna invite you to a game night out at the bar! I'm afraid that I would waste my card skill away while I'm stuck here!"

So he just wanna play cards with someone? I can see him being a risk-taker and a gambler, "Sorry but you're asking the wrong person here. I don't know much about card games...."

"I figured!" he waved the statement away. "I'm open for teaching beginners! If you really don't wanna play cards though, we can play the pool table there!"

_'He's so persistent'_, he really doesn't want me to turn him down now, does he? So, Hisao **did** want something from me, "Ah dammit, I don't have any choice now, do I?" It's a harmless question but I was expecting a stern verbal _'no'_ from the other. Reluctantly, I followed Hisao to the new discovered bar from the afternoon.

* * *

To my surprise, Amane, Hinako and Taiga are also there besides us. They seem to have a friendly chat over a drink. _And considering that this is a bar_, "Those better not be alcoholic drinks......"

"Relax, I hid them before they even came in...." said Hisao as he pushes me into the view of the group. "Hey, everyone I managed to kidnapped her!"

_'**WHAT'**_

"Oh, the young Ms. Investigator.... you actually asked her out blindly...." the composer scoffed. "Well, it's a relief to know that she's cooperative while mingling with the likes of others....."

"Excuse me but what the hell is going on?" I turned to Hisao for answers and this fucker just grinned at me.

"Oh, the pool game I promised earlier? _I lied!_" he spread out his arms in exaggeration. "That thing broke because Taiga and I went overboard! I, or actually_ 'we'_ here, needed you for this discussion!"

"To discuss what?" I watched how Hisao easily slide down the seat next to Taiga and happily swung his arm over the other's shoulder. Taiga does the same as well as they both ignored my question except for one;

"_Of how we're going to survive this killing game_, of course!" Hinako beamed, with that motherly look on her face like before... _only more sinister this time_. "Hisao has this bright idea of gathering a handful of people who will benefit a lot when working together! You see after that sweet little cat being all hell-bent in getting us all killed, the others went along normally with their own volition! They don't seem to want to make a dent in the place either...."

_Really?_ Hisao really believes that? He really thinks someone will actually initiate the first move? I'm terrified of the killing game happening, yes, but to hear that the conman also want to avoid it is shocking. Feeling like something's looming behind me, I quickly turned to see if we were unexpectedly followed... but I never expected to see- _"Nao!?"_

"Eek-!" The smaller girl almost fell back but I managed to catch her on time. "S-Sorry for sneaking up on you! A-And I'm sorry that I'm late...! Macchan needed my help to clean the whole library from top to bottom...!"

"A-Ah, so you're with Machi for the whole day...." I exclaimed. However, her presence almost distracted me the reason why _she's here_, "Wait, you invited Nao into your group too?!"

"P-Please, it wasn't their idea!" Nao begged. "I-I'm to the one who volunteer! I want to help as well!"

_But-!_, my word were cut once I saw those tears start to form again. I shut my mouth immediately and grab any nearby tissues, giving it to her as I said, "_Fine_, I won't ask anymore questions... but if they did something horrible to you, don't hesitate to tell me, okay?" Once that settles, I turned to the conman, "_What exactly do you want to discuss?_"

"Oh, you're done being a gentleman now? That's a shame, it was starting to look like a typical rom-com drama there!" Hisao clears his throat as he started. "It's about Monomyou's attempt of starting the killing game! I predicted that thing would have something for us that would really grinds our gear to make a move!"

_"So, a motive?"_

"That's right!" Hisao snapped his fingers as he stood up. "That thing knows no one is going to raise a knife without any motivation. So, how do you make a killer? Well, maybe you just give them a little push... say, **_take something dear to them_**...... _if that thing can easily kidnapped 16 people without a problem then you know it did some intensive research on all of us!_"

"It's a _classic conditioning_..." Hinako pondered with her hand rested on her cheek. "Cute Monomyou would eventually give us something but not completely.... _not until we do what it wants us to do_...."

"The time limit for a murder to happen is _three days_...." I added in my own speculations. "If it wants to do that, then it has to be _tomorrow_.... It wants to give enough time for the killer to prepare...."

"But we're not gonna let that happened!" Taiga yelled energetically. "We're gonna overturned the game right at its face! We will exposed them like a slippery snake that it is!"

Seeing everyone so determined to prevent and escaped the killing game is..... _a refreshing sight_. Homare and others, while they do want to escape, wants to make most of their situation and going pacifist all throughout the game. _Is that really fine? How long would they last? Would they be so willing to feigned ignorance? Were they really okay with the idea of being trapped here for rest of their lives...?_

And without a beat, I've said it; _"**I'm in**"_

"Huh?" Taiga and Amane look at me, surprised by my answer. 

"I said I'm in, I want to escape just as much as you all want to right now...." I looked at their faces, all just staring right back. "But if anything went wrong or anyone of you went out of the line, then I'm immediately out..."

"Splendid!" Hinako exclaimed, her eyes twinkle in excitement. "Now everything can go smoothly as possible! This would be as easy as throwing a fake bone to fool a mutt! We can easily squash them all like tiny mayflies!"

_Did... my ears deceived me..? Did Ms. Hanabusa said something scary for a moment there? _"Right... but I'm still not sold about everything being set up by... **_him_**...." my eyes landed on Hisao and that damn smirk of his. I wonder how he managed to convinced them all in his little group.

"Hey, that's rather mean of you to judge a person by its criminal-y title!" Hisao whined, or what sounds like it. "Trust me, all of you will kneel and kiss my feet once I managed to save all of your asses!"

_His confidence is admirable_, something you would really like to see in a leader. However with the discovery of this group (_'The Survival Group'_, I dubbed it), I wonder how Homare and the rest will react once the word's out. It's obvious to me that they're keeping this circle to themselves, afraid that others think they're plotting something bad behind their back.

"But of course, there are some minor setbacks that concerns you..." Hisao approaches me slowly while he goes on, "With your title and attitude, it would be really messy if others keep demanding your talent on every given chances! There will be so little progress made! So to you, my dear little miss, I would like to ask...." He stood right in front of me, staring down with a smile still; 

_"Can I actually trust you with their lives on the line?"_

I can feel Nao from the back clinging onto my arm, freaking out. Hisao held out his hand waiting for mine in return. There was a moment of silence between the two of us before I eventually took his hand.

* * *

_Nighttime already_, I watched the PA monitor shuts off once it done its announcement. Feeling tired from socializing all day, I collapsed onto the bed, still thinking about the conversation at the bar, _'Trust me with their lives? He singled himself out? Is he trying to be a martyr here?'_

I tried humming myself to sleep as I closed my eyelids. _And for once, I slept soundly that night._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Mafuyu Hisao  
[ Title ] Ultimate Conman  
[ Height ] 175 cm  
[ Weight ] 73 kg  
[ Chest ] 76 cm  
[ Blood Type ] AB  
[ D.O.B ] 20th August  
[ Likes ] Spicy Food  
[ Dislikes ] Liars  
-


	3. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Daily Life II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The host requested their guests' attendance in the auditorium to present a very special gift that only puts them on the edge. But with that, the first cogwheel in the machine begins to turn already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter actually got super long than what I expected so I decided to divide it into two chapters (this chapter and the next chapter actually takes place in the same day).

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Goood morning, ladies and gentlemen!! This is your daily announcement Time to be up and at 'em! Huh, I wonder why do they say that though? Why must we go 'at 'em' like we're going into some sort of war? Old timey phrases are a mystery, who knows!! Have your very myou-est of day!"_

The TV then turned into static before it turned off by itself, "Huh, I'm actually earlier before the announcement." By some sort of miracle, I woke up, feeling well-rested compared to yesterday. _Perhaps, today I can handle things a bit more better? Who knows_. I already had a shower before that announcement started and I was about to leave when the TV suddenly turned back on again;

_"Uhhhh, I'm so furgetful- Ackh! I stuttered! Attention to all guests! As your only gracious host, I required everyone's attendance at the auditorium this afternoon! Thank you for your time!_

_'What's that all about?'_ I wondered, did Monomyou caught what we were doing yesterday? There's security cameras everywhere in this place, excluding the bathrooms. _Maybe the ones in the bar weren't operational....?_ Anyways, as I opened the front door, I was greeted by a different person this time.

"Oh Sumi! You're actually early this time!!" the colourful Mitsuru greeted. "Ah, even today, you look so_ luscious!_ If you need any help with those gorgeous locks of yours, I would gladly take care of you!"

"I-I sure hope you mean _'it'_......" I have to politely declined her offer however. As I locked the door behind me, I asked, "Say, did you hear the second announcement just now?"

"That? Yeah that was really weird...." she pondered as we make our way to the elevator shaft. "Do you think Monomyou had a second thought about this _killing sha-bang_ it mentioned?"

"Maybe..... but let's not put too much hope in it...." I thought about last night's talk. _If Hisao's prediction do come true, then that would be troublesome to deal with_. "There's little to no chances of that thing saying this whole thing is a total dupe...."

** _"Hey! Stop the elevator!!!"_ **

Before Mitsuru could even pressed any buttons, a figure immediately lunged forward and pried open the elevator doors with all their strength. Mitsuru let out a bloody shriek as I pulled the person into the elevator. I looked carefully to see it was the _abseiler_, "What the hell were you thinking, Osame!?"

"Sorry! Sorry!!!" _Well, he doesn't look like he's sorry at all!_ "The competitive spirit in me suddenly jumps out when I saw a closing exit!! Plus, were you guys impressed by my strength?! Getting your hands stuck between rocks does wonder for your physique!!!"

"C-Can't you do a better demonstration that doesn't involve scaring the shit out of us!? _O-Oh no, I-I think I'm gonna faint_....." Mitsuru suddenly leaned against me. "_Dear God, please give me strength to live another day_....."

"H-Hey, this isn't the time to see_ God_ now-" Thinking that she might actually passed out on the spot, I didn't realized that she's literally _leaning against my-_ "_Hold on! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!?_"

"Hehehe.... you have really nice-- Ackh!?" Hiroshi thankfully pulled her off of me. "What!? How dare you pulled me away from my paradise!? Unhand me now, you fiend!"

"Hey now, you're making Sumi really, _really uncomfortable there_..." Hiroshi grimaced as Mitsuru tries to get his hands off of her apron. "I guess I made the right choice to board onto the same ride rather than following suite later......"

"Y-Yeah.... you sort of save me... _thanks_....."

* * *

Once the three of us reach the dining hall (Hiroshi lets go of Mitsuru as soon as we left the elevator), there are a few people already present and one of them, Kiharu, popped up with a question first, "Hey, we heard a scream just now. What happened?"

Hiroshi reluctantly answered, "I spooked the girls a bit when I tried to squeeze through the elevator door. And Mitsuru afterwards did a questionable thing-"

"H-Hey! That's completely unrelated to the question before! I mean! All I did was just feeling Sumi's body curves and stuffs!"

_"Excuse me!?"_ Both Homare and I stuttered in shock, the former dropped her tea cup. _I can't believe Mitsuru outed herself like that!?_ I can hear laughter coming from Hisao and Taiga while Hibiki made a remark on how inappropriate the stylist have acted.

_"Hey, freakshow!!"_ Higura called out. "How about ya' keep your damn nasty fantasies in your bed next time! _And don't go groping people as well!_ It's bad enough that I could hear you fucking rambling your kinks next door!!"

"Eek!? You heard me last night!? Ahhhh, I'm so embarrassed-!! Now I have to find another place to confess-!!" Mitsuru slides down onto her knees as she hid her face into her hands, I can see her ears turning red after hearing that.

"It doesn't sound like you're trying to hide them, you kinky fu-!!" Higura's head was resting on his right arm so Saku took the chance and pull his arm down and his head slammed onto the table. "You motherfucker! You're trying to pick a fight with me!?"

"If it makes you stop running that damn mouth of yours then I will accept it nonetheless...." Saku sighs, rubbing his forehead from an incoming headache. "You're really a handful when it comes to bringing down others...."

_"Fuck off! As if you're any better than me!"_

The chaos just slowly unfolded as Hinako and Machi struggled to keep them all down, Homare must have already realized by now that the hot-headed duo won't even listen so she decided to back down for now. "It seems Monomyou somewhat predicted a fight indeed...." I picked a seat next to the opera singer as she suddenly spoke. "Did you hear that strange announcement too, Sumi...?"

_'Huh, didn't know Hibiki is also that type that prefers nicknames...'_ "Yeah, it sounded really serious...." I pointed out its animosity. "What do you think about it, Ms. Setsu?"

"_Hibiki_...." She refused to look at me in the eyes all throughout the conversation. "And I could care less of what Monomyou had in store for us... for all I know, all of this could be someone's messed up way to entertain themselves..... I doubt there will be an easier way for us to stay alive...."

"That's.... a bit_ grim_....." Hibiki sounds so cold in her words, completely disinterested with the reality she's in. She doesn't look like she have that much faith in her own survival. _'I wonder if Amane being in Hisao's group have to do with her attitude towards this whole situation? He always fawn over her so maybe he just joined for Hibiki's sake...?'_

Dismissing that possibility aside, I finished my own breakfast that's prepared by Higura today; simple club sandwiches that are surprisingly good.

"I heard that you and that nautilus boy are having a sleepover...." Hibiki sparked up another conversation. This time, it's a bit more light-hearted than her last one. "That cat let that slipped when Homare asked them yesterday...." 

"Geez, that thing can't really keep it to themselves...." I groaned, I figured Monomyou would tattle on us like that. "Yeah, it's a simple night-in with Renma as well. Oh! Do you wanna join us, Hibiki? It would be nice to have another girl to accompany me....."

"Hn, I supposed why not...." she replied. "I have nothing to do but just idling in my room.... perhaps I can get to know you three better now that I have a good reason for that swine to stop hovering over me on every chances he get......"

_'So she isn't really fond of the attention she constantly gets.... well, Amane can be really intrusive with his approach....'_ I sat up to go and clean my plate before looking at the time. _'I still got time before the announcement..... maybe I should just head there early, let's see who's there....'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

Stepping out of the elevator, a familiar sight of plush-wearing figure waving both of his hands at me, "Sumi... you're here for the announcement.....?"

"Shoma, you're here early too... " I smiled. "Well, I have no other reasons to be here if there weren't one, right?"

"True... true......" Shoma pondered to himself. "Myoumyou has been treating us really restlessly, nyou...... This critter hopes this will be quick before it took up our sleepover....... I want everyone to swim along peacefully....."

Decoding what Shoma said took me a while but I think he's trying to say; _'I hope Monomyou didn't do anything drastic to push us into this killing game. I just want everyone to get along...'_ or something similar to that. He has a really weird speech pattern that takes time to get what he means,_ 'I might as well get used to his way of speaking for a change....'_

"Well, we're all stuck on the same boat so going overboard is out of the question....." I swear, no matter where I look, my eyes keep on landing on the nautilus plush on his head. "Hey, Shoma? Why do you keep wearing that? Do you have a bad hair day or something...?"

"Hng...." Shoma pouted as he pulled down his plush hat tightly as if he's expecting me to try and take it of, "It blocks signal waves..... this place has a lot of bad waves.... all piercing and crashing.... I wanna avoid those noisy things....."

"_Are..... you like a whale..?_" If Hinako hears this, maybe she will get all excited since it's in her expertise. Still, I'm not so sure where he's going with that. Plus, he looked really uncomfortable when I mentioned his hat, "S-Sorry if it upsets you or anything! I didn't know it's an insensitive thing to point out..."

".... _You always blubbered those words_...." He lets go of his hat but is still pouting. "Sumi is _always crying_.... it's kind of tiring to listen to..... at least Sumi knows boundaries.... but is still awful at keeping calm......"

_I wonder if this is a payback for pointing out his weird hat because those words stings like hell, holy shit._

  
"Maybe Sumi can join Renma in his meditation state? I always see the ghost-speaker doing nothing in silence..." Shoma pointed at the auditorium doors, perhaps saying that the medium is currently meditating in there. "It clears his conscience before... maybe it will help clear yours as well...?"

"Oh... did you meditate as well...?" I kinda figured Shoma would constantly stick to Renma wherever they go, they do have similar personality. Except, Renma is more spiritual-wise while Shoma is more.... _emotional-wise_...?

"Yes, but mine last only for a while..... as a critter... my thoughts are easily disposable..... my attention isn't really vast...." said Shoma in his usual floaty self. "You should meditate with us too...! It's more peaceful with three people....!"

I don't think including more people could guarantee a more peaceful atmosphere but I don't really want to ruin Shoma's mood anymore, '_Besides, he already ruined mine and I'm not the type to drag anyone down.... but at least, he looked like he had a pleasant time talking with me.....'_

* * *

"Renma...!"

Shoma and I watched as the medium slowly turned around to greet us, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, "Ah, Sumi! You're here early too! Nice to see you well on this lovely day!"

"Yeah, same here....." I'm surprised he managed to stay optimistic for the second-coming announcement. I offered my hand to him as he take it and I pulled him up, "You've been here since this morning...?"

Everyone else started to enter the auditorium and Renma was just staring through the cluster. I tried to follow his gaze and saw that he's staring hard at Hisao and Homare, _'Did something happened between those two...? Or is it just him and his bad energy senses acting up?'_ "Hey Renma?"

He briefly closed his eyes before putting on his usual smile and tone, "It's nothing. I have been meditating here after breakfast..... I sense a strong negative energy still lingering here from when we first arrived.... **_except it has gotten worst_**.... It's been distressing me ever since I stepped my foot in here....."

**_Worst_**, if anything, I have to take his word for what it stands. After all, if he can accurately pinpoint negative traits in people _(mostly me but maybe my signs are just too obvious)_, then this announcement won't do us all well. Once the last person enter the room, a group of mini Monomyou(s) suddenly popped out of nowhere, playing the trumpets to announce the arrival of _the actual Monomyou the Host_.

_"Hello! hello! Gooood afternoon, everyone!! Is everyone well? Making friend left and right? Making sweet, loving memories behind those bitter faces!? Because it's getting preeettty boring with how things are going right now!!"_

Someone walked towards my side and stopped for a moment, I didn't bother to see who since it's obvious by now. The conman just stared at the host quietly this time. It's a funny thing to think about; _an investigator and a conman side-by-side observing the true criminal of this place._

"Uhuhuhu....." Monomyou sullenly approaches us with imaginary rain-clouds above its head. "You guys are torturing meeee! Having such a fun-fun-time while I was sitting alone in the daaaark, you guys are so crueeeel!.... _But that's beside the point of calling you guys here in the auditorium!!!_"

"I somehow knew your sob talk was a bluff," Machi glares. "Just get to the point already....."

"Hey, hey!! I'm the host here!!! Don't rush the excitement!!!" Monomyou angrily exclaimed. "The reason why I gather you all here is due to one thing; **_the killing game I promised! _**"

'_This is it_....' I thought to myself as I side-eyed Hisao next to me. '_If it's true... then we can figure something out from there on_....'

Monomyou seems to have a bunch similar looking ElectroIDs in its hands except slightly bigger this time. They handed one to everyone as they kept talking, "Because all of you are too much of a wuss to even make the first move! I figured this will somehow motivate you all!! It's a _home video_ made by yours truly that will surely _inspired_ you all!!"

Giving one to me lastly, Monomyou also hands us a wireless ear piece that it claim to be for privacy reason. After making sure everyone have those two things, the cat encouraged everyone to check it out immediately as it just stood there, _waiting_. I looked around to see if other are doing it, making sure it's not a trick and the tablet just malfunctioned or anything.

Seeing how everything is going smoothly and nothing went wrong, I put the earpiece on and turned the tablet to my surprise. On the screen, a video of... _Hoshino Iwao, my **mentor**_.

_"Hoshino Iwao, reporting to duty.... I would like to record this video to congratulate my protégé for getting accepted into- Hey, wait, why are you here!?"_

There's some muffled arguing going on behind the scene before the screen turned static. I almost started to panic before the screen picks up again and another face joined in with my mentor, _Endou Ayame, my **sister**_.

_"Heeeey!! It's your gorgeous big sis here!!! Hey, old man! Stop fucking pushing me off, you're hogging all the attention here! Anyways-! I can't believe I have to cancel a meet-up at the very last minute when I heard you got accepted into some snobbish academy!! Geez, tell me sooner! You know how much I hate breaking into some man's boring office doing their super lame job!! Text me with all the updates, 'kay? Big sis is here to help you anytime!!"_

The screen turned into static again but I'm more bothered about what they've said, _'Accepted.... accepted to... what academy...?'_ That thought soon diminishes when the static was gone again but this time it shows a grey empty room, a typical sight of an interrogation room, with the wall splattered with blood. _Blood of an unknown origin_....

....

........ _Huh_

"Odd...." I said it way too calmly. 

Hisao must have realized how off I acted since it caught his attention, "You alright there, missy? You looked eerily calm compare to the messy pool over there...."

I just nodded, still staring at the tablet. _This is it_, this is the **_motive_ **that the conman predicted. But instead of taking _something_, Monomyou literally took **_someone_**.

.....

........

(<strike>**_ How predictable_ **</strike>)

_"What the fuck!?"_

_"What did you do, you son of a bitch!?!"_

_"N-no...!! This can't be happening!!!"_

The yelling brought me out my daydream as I looked around my surrounding and immediately know what Hisao was referring to as _'messy pool'_. Higura looked livid, no surprises there, but his fury matches Machi, Saku and Hiroshi. Nao looks like she's on the verge of crying again with Homare trying her best to comfort here. However, her shaky hands and twitching mouth betrayed her calm facade. Mitsuru stares blankly at the screen but I can see tears too slowly forming around the corner of her eyes,

Kihaur drops hers, her whole figure shaking with fear in her eyes and was comforted by Taiga. Hibiki, Amane and Renma all have that worried looks on their face, distressed by not vocally. The only people who stayed neutral were Hinako, Shoma, Hisao and...

....

_**and**_....

_'No, this isn't right..'_

_**I was scared.** I was rightfully scared of what happened to them... but once her face showed up.... that fear immediately vanished...._

".... even in this situation, my thoughts of her still stay the same, huh...." I muttered to myself, feeling indifferent. Slowly, I raised my attention to Hisao who's also staring at his possible motive video, wonder how his turned out. Apparently, if possible, he can read my mind and immediately groaned in frustration, "What the hell is this crap? You give everyone a fun video but leaving me out of the fun? _That's a cruel, cruel way you're doing!_ _Giving me a **blank screen**!"_

"Oh, that-! Well, you're a special case, of course!!" Monomyou puffed out their chest. "A criminal like you wouldn't need a motive! I doubt you have anyone outside these perimeters who actually likes you!! But then again, I can't be bother to pursue a criminal..._ because people like you acted on instincts, ain't that right!?"_

"_Wow, you're so considerate_...." Hisao rolled his eyes back.

I can't ever process what they're bickering about because of that said blank screen, _'So Hisao's motive is..... **nothing**?'_

"Anyways-!!!" Monomyou tried to get everyone's attention back to them. "Hope you all enjoy your videos; **_videos of your last regrets_**_!!_ Which is why you all better think twice about your living situation right now because who knows!"

_"_ ** _If you died here, the pain and guilt you have caused on others will forever be in their hearts! Nyahahaha!_ ** _"_

And with that Monomyou made its exit down the trapdoor. As usual, being shell-shocked, nobody move a muscle.....

* * *

After being dismissed, we had the same quiet, heavy atmosphere (from the first day) on our way back. Nobody looked at each other, nobody say anything. Once we stepped out of the auditorium, the marksman called out, "Hey, Sumi... got a minute to talk? Let's head to the bar-"

_"Oh! I have a thing to ask you guys about the bar as well!!"_

Monomyou suddenly pops out between us and we immediately took a step back out of fear (and surprise). With its high-pitched tone, it proceed to ask us, "Say, did the bar feel **_off_** to y'all?"

"_Off as in_....?" Taiga raised an eyebrow. "If you're asking why the bar have alcohol in its cabinets then you should seriously ask yourself that before asking us....."

_"As if I care you guys will get dangerously tipsy or not!!"_ the cat scolded. "I'm talking about the _**surveillance cameras**!!_ After meeting with you ungrateful assheads, some of the cameras were completely down without a warning!!! _And this happened_ _waaaaay before_ I knew about your stuck-up asses!!"

_Well_, that answered my question about the cameras in the bar but for them to malfunctioned _before we even first gathered at the auditorium does strikes me as odd. Could it be just the bad wiring of that place?_

"Sorry but I'm no tech expert...." Taiga said nonchalantly. "If anything the cameras look in pristine condition on the outside so we never noticed it was busted at all!"

"T-That's im_paw_sible! _Eek-!! I stuttered!!_" Monomyou comically gasped. "Nyaaaah! It must be those rodents, it most definitely be those fiends!!!! That seals it!!! _I'm going to declare war on them!!!!_"

With that, Monomyou just angrily stomping away back into the auditorium and shut the doors behind them and leaving us behind.

".... Can you even take that serious without that smile on your face?" I asked curiously. 

_"Sorry. It's really hard to keep a straight face while seriously listening to a cat with a red bow-tie on."_

_"Hmn, you're right. I wouldn't take Monomyou seriously when they looked like that either...."_

* * *

_"That was a lie, isn't it?"_

_"Hm?"_

Once we're back at the bar, I stood on the stool and examined the malfunctioned surveillance cameras Monomyou have mentioned. There are two cameras in the room on opposite sides and it seems both camera doesn't seem to work at all. "... You knew they were broken somehow but you dumb your own knowledge down...." I said while staring at him.

Taiga always strikes me as.... **_odd_**. _His dangerous talent, his cheerful attitude, his somewhat skillful experiences with stuffs he shouldn't mess with and his involvement with Hisao's group_. Other than the conman and marine biologist, _he's another mystery that I can't wrap my head around_.

"Hmm... that....." Taiga thought for a while before he cheerfully answered. "Nah, I just stretched out their claim! Yeah, they do look down and not operational but I don't know if that's true for certain!! I'm good with firearms, I'm not _tech-savy_ or anything!"

"_Guess I will take your word then_....." I stepped down from the stool. "So did Hisao tell you to lie about it? How does he even convinced you to join his scheme?"

"He asked me if I wanted to piss off Monomyou and I'm immediately on board with it!" said Taiga. "Trust me, I really don't like that cat, like, at all!"

_Nobody does_, and that's safe to admit it altogether. "So what is it, you exactly want to talk about...? Sorry for derailing our purpose here just to ask about the cameras...." _Wow, maybe Shoma is right; I do apologized a lot._

"Something to talk about....?" Taiga looked confused before he finally realized the reason why we're at the bar in the first place. "Oh! Right!! I totally forgot!! All these tech stuffs made my head go fuzzy that I almost forgot about it!! Don't worry, I immediately remembered why!!"

_"He actually asked you out in my place..."_

In that moment, I actually can't even think of anything else other than_ 'Of fucking course, it has to be him planning this ahead....' _

Mafuyu Hisao, standing tall and proud and a big grin on his face, with Hinako and Nao right besides him, looking at the both of us with that electronic tablet, containing the motive video from, in his hand, "**_We're gonna tear that cat into pieces_**...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Takara Homare  
[ Title ] Ultimate Fencer  
[ Height ] 169 cm  
[ Weight ] 52 kg  
[ Chest ] 40 cm  
[ Blood Type ] B  
[ D.O.B ] 6th December  
[ Likes ] Mapo Tofu  
[ Dislikes ] Iced Coffee  
-


	4. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Daily Life III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After receiving their 'motive videos', Homare insisted a way to have everyone's alibi to be secured in one place and came up with a plan, thanks to a certain someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew a small bust version of Hoshino Sumire, Ultimate Private Investigator, on my Tumblr!  
(https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/post/188737998885/hoshino-sumire-the-ultimate-private-investigator)  
Would draw the rest if I have time!

"Okaaaay!" Hisao pointed at Taiga and I as he asked us immediately, "What are your motives? This is really important, you know? So that we all can be familiar with each other and able to work out from there!"

To say that he was rather insensitive in his words is a bit of a reach. Hisao has a different way to approach the problem and it's rather direct and rude. _But hey, a straightforward approach is better than a futile approach for him._

"Mine was my mentor and sister...." I told them about my video without leaving any important bits. "They're congratulating me for.... getting into some sort of _academy_..? I don't really remember much after that...."

"Ah, you too?" Taiga looked at me wide-eyed. "I got a similar speech except is by my pop's military squad! They were all excited and such and then.... _after that_....." his shoulders tensed up, "..... **_there was a bloody wall_**....."

The video has to end similarly for everyone else if that cat is trying to rile us up. There's no clear answer of what Monomyou did to everyone's loved ones but it's too early to say that it could be fake. Hinako and Nao were next to discuss about their video; for Nao, it was her supportive older brother whom she was scared of burdening them and left to support herself, and for Hinako, it was her close colleagues whom she had a fallout and never made up with prior entering here. 

We were waiting for Hisao to said his but remembered the conversation between him and Monomyou. "You don't have a-anyone in your life, Mr. Mafuyu....?" Nao asked timidly, and was rewarded with a pat on the head.

"Can't say that for sure....." Hisao shrugged. "After all, I'm a criminal! Nobody wants to associate with someone like me! At most, my so-called _family_ may have been dead or already disowned me at some point!!"

His answer sounded really cheerful as he made his way passed our stunned faces. He placed the tablet on top of the table as he exclaimed, "Well, it safe to say that we weren't too far off. I'm not sure how much damage did that things caused but Monomyou sure went for a low blow there...."

"But there's one particular info that all of our videos have....." Hinako pondered. "We all got accepted to this academy that recognizes us as **_Ultimates_**....... all sixteen of us that are roughly the same age...."

"A-Are they targeting the same school.....?" Nao brought up another point. "W-Was that cat trying to get something out of them....?"

Suddenly, I recalled back when we first arrived here, that time Monomyou referred to us as _'this batch'_, "We weren't the first one to be here..... Monomyou must have done this before...."

"Is it the same academy though? _Or they were from a different Ultimate Academies?_" Hisao brought up his points. "_If it's such an important place, then why host a killing game?_ And if they are targeting the same school then _they should have taken security measures after losing the previous students_....."

I shook my head in confusion, rubbing my forehead to get rid of an incoming migraine, "It's best to leave this aside.... we're piecing together a messy timeline with limited information. We should wait until Monomyou accidentally spill the beans or anything..... For now, we must deal with these motive videos and what comes after...."

"Actually I have already made my preparations...." said Hisao while grinning. "While you and Taiga got distracted by the cat, I dropped a small tip to Homare and the others that I'm sure they couldn't resist!"

_"Which is?"_

"Well, that's a surprise! Amane is with the other group to make sure they all agree on the same term! But, it's nothing too dangerous or drastic for everyone to handle!" Hisao waved his hand around to dismiss any worrisome thoughts about the whole ordeal. "I made sure each one of us have a hand in this as well!"

"Oh? You sound so sure about yourself, _Hisa_...." Hinako giggles. "I will gladly look forward to your _indestructible_ plan."

"Awww, you're making me blush with your praises!! Hey, hey! Please praise me more! I wanna be spoiled too, ya know?"

Hisao and Hinako went off with their chattering as Nao went over to my side to give them some space. She looked a bit better now compared to earlier, her eyes still visibly puffy. Out of instinct, I hugged her closely, "Don't worry... we won't let anyone fall victim to this....."

The ghostwriter didn't say anything, instead she just squeezed my arm. Taiga smiled once he caught a glimpse of it, "I guess you're the older sister in your family, huh?"

"E-excuse me...?"

"You said you have a sister, right? With how you acted and comforting Nao like that.... you totally have that older sister quality!" 

Oh._ Oh. I actually forgot about that_. "I.... My _'sister'_ and I aren't.... _quite related or close at least_......" I can see Taiga getting a bit confused by my words so I clarified it with my next sentence. "We both arrived at the same orphanage and nobody knows if we were left by the same parent or not... but they left us to be on our own. Before I got adopted by my mentor..."

"Until now... you don't know if you two were related or not...?"

"It doesn't bother her, _or even me_, anyways...." I looked to side. "She seemed happy to have someone who's been with her from that place...."

"Then your regret with her was....?"

_My regret_, that's one thing that I'm not so sure about. There's a lot that goes through my head when I think of her, _many unpleasant things_. "Sorry... I'm not really comfortable talking about it...." I got questioned a lot once people knew I was related to her in someway. 

"Oh, sorry...." Taiga bowed apologetically. 

"Hmmm? What's this?" Out of nowhere, Hisao, who secretly hid behind us, popped in between and wrapped his arms around our shoulders. "Were you two secretly having a fling?? Ohh, that nerve of you two!!"

I sighed as I brush off the arm off of my shoulder and nudged Nao to let go of my arm. Both did so and I'm finally free from physical contact. "I will be going now if that's all we're gonna talk about...." I said while eyeing on the other three. "What about you guys?"

"I'm gonna disturb Shoma and Renma again!" said Hisao energetically. "I made a bet with Gura to see if I can see what's underneath that shell of the biologist!"

"**_Don't expose him like that..._**"

Nao said that she's going to help Machi with organizing the library books again and Taiga is going to swim laps with with Hiroshi and Kiharu. I decided to follow Nao on her way to the library since it's the only place I haven't check out yet, _'I have some free time.... maybe I can find solace within books....?'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

"Ah! Ms. Hoshino!" 

After the meeting at the bar, it seems Hinako went to the library as well, reading a book about animal biology. Nao already went off to help Machi and I don't want to disturb them or anything, so I went ahead and sat next to Hinako, "What are you reading about, Ms. Hanabusa?"

"Just some miscellaneous stuffs..." Hinako smiled gently. "I'm very glad that this library has many variety of literature available... I want to recap all the materials I have learned in my field!"

While her specialty is studying animal's behaviors, she must have gone through other subjects as well like veterinary surgical techniques and such. I've always been fascinating animal science as a subject and I would like to hear more from the student themselves, "Ms. Hanabusa.... If you don't mind me asking, what's the most difficult part of your field that you have to constantly deal with?"

"That depends...." said Hinako. "Although, if I have to be specific.... _it's the people themselves_..."

_"Huh?"_

"You see, it's my job to learn and observe animals, both domestic and wildlife-wise...." Hinako sighed, placing her cheek against her hand. "It's troublesome to work with other people.... once I diagnosed a problem and suggest a solution, they insist that _their way has no problem at all_ and that the animal just doesn't want to cooperate...."

"H-Hey... they shouldn't be that ignorant towards their needs...." I said. Of course, I shouldn't expect Hinako wouldn't have to deal with stubborn people. 

Hinako continues on, "It is difficult for people to understand how different both species work..... _to insist a dog must always be active and energetic, and to insist a cat must always be seclusive and indoors_.... all those things are similar to how stereotypes work for humans as well..." 

"Yeah, I don't really understand seeing through those kind of lenses...." I once encounter a very lovable stray cat during my second year as an investigator. It stayed with me for a few months before being adopted by a kind couple. People often asked me if it was feral or not but then, I never have trouble approaching it at all. 

"Of course, we shouldn't ignore people with phobias or allergies as well, I'm sure they have their own reasons..." Hinako giggles. "What I'm saying is that, I would be very happy if others understand that even animals have needs and wants of their own. Just because they live under the same roof, it doesn't mean they need to fit your needs.... _they're beautiful living creatures_, **_not just some ornamental gifts you can show-off to your disgrace and poor excuse of friends_**...."

The last sentence startled me so much that I didn't realized she was actually smiling while saying that. Hinako has strong admiration towards animals but not towards humans, I can understand that (even so after hanging out with Higura), "M-Maybe not to that extreme..... were you always this aggressive...?"

_"Aggressive...?"_ Hinako covered her mouth and stared wide-eyed. "Oh dear... I must have slipped..... I'm sorry about that, I get easily heated-over when thinking about it....."

"Ah... It's okay.... I get what you mean... even I have those kind of days....." I chuckles at her sudden _'bashfulness'_. "I also kept it to myself..... people always think that we have a stone heart but it take many,_ many years_ of experience to reach the level.... but I was lucky enough to know when to put up with whatever bullshit my work will be giving me....."

"Yet your endurance amazes me!" exclaimed Hinako, gleam with excitement. "Especially how you handle our current situation as well! I have nothing but praises for you! _Alrighty then,_ _come here! I will shower you with praises!"_

She then proceed to patted and rubbed my head as I awkwardly shifting in my seat, _'She's rewarding me like a cat.... but I think this is enough to close the distance between the two of us.....'_

* * *

It didn't take me a long time to realize I was the only left in library as I was so observed in a novel I was currently reading. I placed the book at where I found it and made my way to the hotel. From the outside, I can see everyone gathering at the reception area and they were all discussing. I raised an eyebrow, as soon as I enter the building, I spoke up, "What's going on here...?"

"Ah, Sumire...." Homare caught my attention with her usual notebook in hand. "Impeccable timing, I was about to find you...."

"Did Monomyou do something while I wasn't around?"

"Not quite, this is just a safety precaution I decided to proposed...." said the fencer. "I was afraid something bad might happened once nighttime strikes following today's announcement.... I have made couple suggestions with others and as well with our **_host_**.... So, I want to propose everyone to sleep within groups just for tonight...."

With that, everyone's alibi will have to be recorded by another person no matter what. Is this what Hisao's talking about? I tried to look for the conman and found him standing besides Renma, looking terribly irritated, _'Those two really can't stand each other....'_

"Does Monomyou have anything to say in that....?" I asked and right when I did, the damn cat just dropped down in front of me. I almost stumbled backwards before yelling, _"Can't you appear normally for once!?"_

"Awwww... where's the thrill in that? Besides, I would rather act more eccentric to battle you guys' toxic personalities!! I can't lose to the likes of you all!!" Monomyou snickers. "Anyways, like I've said about the approved sleepover, the proposal has been accepted so you're welcome!!! _In exchange, grovel at my feet! Pet me! Shower me with all your love!"_

_"That's one request I would rather not do to the likes of you, dear feline...." _Hinako eerily replied with a smile still.

_"Eeeek-!! Such cruelty towards your own host!!"_ Monomyou sobbed. "A-Anyways! Do whatever you want!! It's not like you're all planning some sweet love-making since you're all hell-bent in taking this killing concept and run it deep into the Earth's core!!"

"Well, you did sound like you were threatened to accept this..." Hibiki pointed out their behavior._"Are you that much of a wimpy host...?"_

"Who are ya' calling a_ wimp!?"_ Monomyou pouted. "I will have you know I have successfully entertained guests with just a volunteer and an eyeball of spool! It was _mya_rvelous! Eek-!!! I stuttered!!!"

"What the fuck are you trying to prove with that!?" We all expected for it to be Higura's line but no, to our surprise, _it was Saku, the_ _aerobat_, who cussed. Higura just glared at the cat but keep his mouth shut.

"If anything, it proves that you're failing your host' responsibility to even _'entertain'_ us this time..." said Hiroshi. "I'm not asking for it but it's a useless attempt to seduce us if _your killing game plans have failed_...."

"_Failed_...... do you think this motive plan will **_fail_**...? Oh no.... _no, no, no_....." Monomyou usual high-pitched voice turned dark and low as they looked over all of us. 

** _"One of you have already decided..."_ **

_'What!?'_ I furiously looked around the room, everyone looked equally shell-shocked at what Monomyou have said before disappearing off once again. _No way, no way in hell_. There's no fucking way someone's already on the move. Before anything else could happened, Homare steps in, "A-Alright.... we shouldn't think too much of what Monomyou said just now.... _here's the planning for all of us_....." 

* * *

[ **_Room 1 _**(front left) ] _Shoma, Renma, Hibiki, Sumire_

[ _**Room 2**_ (front right) ] _Higura, Saku, Hiroshi, Taiga_

[ _**Room 3**_ (back left) ] _Homare, Machi, Nao, Hinako_

[ _**Room 4**_ (back right) ] _Amane, Mitsuru, Kiharu, Hisao_

* * *

"Monomyou provided these bigger rooms on another floor, just above our individual ones...." Homare held up four set of unfamiliar key cards, "The front rooms are located near the elevator while the back rooms are just a door away so that we can easily hear any noise or distress call... the person listed first in the planning is in charge of the room key. _Please,_ _don't lost your ElectroIDs still_...."

So this is what Hisao meant by everyone having their equal part in the plan. Amane must have been the one handling our placement for each group. Although, I'm surprised he would give up the opera singer who would join our room. Each room has a reliable leader _(I can't say for sure for Higura but I have faith in him)_ as Shoma take the key card and waved at my direction. 

"I guess it makes sense that you will be in charge, Shoma..." I remarked. The sleepover idea was something the biologist came up initially, maybe Homare and Hisao made use of that idea for everyone else. 

"Hnggh...." the biologist doesn't look too happy about it. ".... This should have been a joyous occasion.... for it to be slathered with threat of blood is too cruel....." 

"It's probably for the best..." Machi pointed out. "After all, we can't ginore what the cat said.... **_or even did_**.... it's for everyone's safety..."

Thinking about those motive videos from before, there are too many people affected by it, _and handled them poorly_. We couldn't force them to tell us what they saw but perhaps keeping an eye on each other one night should be fine. _Should_.

"Sumire, may I talk with you for a second...?" I excused myself from my group as Homare ushered me closer. She looked... _distressed_ about something, "Would you mind if you could assist me with checking in all the groups before nighttime? Right after you had your shower and all that is.... I want to make sure nothing dangerous is hidden within any of those rooms...."

"Understood...." I nodded in reply, worrying about Homare's troublesome thoughts. She's fidgeting, tapping onto her notebook a lot and her eyes keep wandering, "It will be okay... we won't let Monomyou get the best of us..."

With that, Homare sighed but managed to put on a smile,"I know.... I'm just worried... I don't want anyone else to be fool by that.... creature's demand...."

No one wants to, and I kept that belief within me. Starting from there on, we went to our respective rooms.

* * *

Right after Homare and I had our shower in our individual rooms, we went to the floor above us to make our rounds. We went into the first room, Shoma's group. The door was unlocked so I went in first, "Shoma, have you guys settle- _Ackh!!" _

I tripped and fell onto the sea of pillows and blankets littered on the floor, softening my impact, "W-What the....? Shoma, what is this..?"

"_Ahahaha_...." The biologist let out a carefree laugh as he laid down on the pile, "... The bed is too _restricting_..... The critter wants everyone to be familiar with each other with no boundaries......!"

"That's nice...." said Homare as she carefully try not to step on the blankets. "Everyone settled in nicely...?"

"As nicely as we can be... no problem with the room as well..." said Renma leaning against the pillow behind him. Hibiki does the same as well, both of them seem to have a chat right before we came in. It's a rare sight seeing Hibiki being all loosened up and smiling around other people. It seems like she's glad to be roomed with more peaceful and relaxed people instead. 

"Good... that's good...." I get up and cleared my throat. "We will check the other groups now.... I will be joining you guys later...."

Homare and I went ahead to check on all other groups and realized that they all have some interesting atmosphere with them. The second group was.... _chaotic as usual_. They've started a pillow fight as soon as the both of us stepped in, we even ended up joining as well to relieve our worries (ended with Taiga and Hiroshi as victors). 

Homare's group has that usual pleasant atmopshere; Nao excitedly talked about her help in certain research works by zoologists and veterinarians with Hinako who shared her own knowledge on it. Machi mentioned about the broken faucet in the bathroom that I later took a note of. 

The last group we checked was... _unusual_. Amane got tossed around _(literally)_ by Hisao and Mitsuru just because they got bored listening to his composer talk and decided to rolled him up using blankets. It was at this moment I just realized, _what a chaotic pair Hisao and Mitsuru would make_. Thankfully, Kiharu kept them under control...... _for now_.

"Everything is going okay..." I went over the list of things available in all of the rooms and making sure they're all in the same amount. "That should be all, right? Ms. Takara?"

Homare is spacing out again, she keeps staring at.... somewhere. She snapped out as soon as she realized I was calling out to her, "Y-yes.... I appreciate your help, Sumire.... I really do....."

This is very unusual of her; I've never seen Homare being so out of focus to the point she doesn't even realized herself. It's almost terrifying for me to see her like this. "Homare....." This is the first time I used her first name. "You don't have to shoulder all the burdens by yourself.... you know you have us to help, right...? If there's something bothering you then you can tell me...." 

"I-It's...." she looked hesitated to tell. Then, she shook her head, "No... it's something else...... that I can't talk so freely within earshot of others....."

"Then we will talk about it tomorrow...." I gave a reassuring smile. "I'm all ears, don't worry..... also, you're free to call me '_Sumi'_ as well, you know? It's much more shorter than my mouthful name..." We're way past formalities at this point, we shouldn't be too formal with each other. 

"Alright, _Sumi_...." Homare finally gets rid of her stoic facade with a heartfelt laugh. A genuine smile finally made its appearance for the regal fencer, "Thanks for the reassurance..... Can't believe I need to be reminded that I'm not all alone on this...."

_'Alone.... Yeah, it's hard to get used to company when it was just yourself this entire time....'_ Every words that spilled from my mouth just now, **_I meant it_**, every single one of it. It's something that everyone here needs to hear right now. 

We talked for a while before we parted ways to our respective rooms. I hope she's okay, no matter what she said or shows... I can't be too sure of myself. She looked more laid-back now that I confronted her but..... _'Never mind that! I have to be sure of it tomorrow morning! Then we will plan out carefully from there on!'_

* * *

_"Thank you for your hard work!"_

"Likewise....." I collapsed onto the sea of blankets right after I changed out of my clothes, letting the warmth enveloped my whole body. I even tuned out the nighttime announcement as I rolled onto my back, ".... _This is exhausting_...."

"Good job...." Hibiki chuckles as she gently stroked my head. "I heard from Renma that you're an insomniac...? It's best to sleep in early for now even if you wanna stay up and chat...."

"... It's time for younger critter to fall into slumber...." I can feel Shoma back pressing against mine. "... I apologized if I rolled too much.... This critter can only do so much in its sleep...."

I never considered myself as an insomniac but again, I'm not surprised if people insisted that I am. Renma is the first one to notice my well-being so it wouldn't come as a shock that he tried to help. We were all huddling together at this point; with Shoma and I laid down besides each other. Hibiki is at my side, still stroking my head while Renma is on the other side, trying to sleep in.

A soothing singing voice played out in the room and I immediately feel fatigue washing over my body. Hibiki's voice is pleasing to listen to but neither of us didn't managed to stay up to appreciate it. At that night, the three of us succumbed into a deep sleep with Hibiki following after. 

* * *

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!** _

_"Gooood morning, everyone! Your daily morning announcement presents a special talk-show corner; a promise to start your day with a bang!"_

_"It's a very shaky format so please forgive some minor slip-ups! Not like those slip-ups would stop any talk-show hosts from getting into trouble, nyahahaha!!"_

_"They never get a jail-time now, do they? Being a host must be sooooo reassuring since everything that comes out of their mouth have been nothing but a joke like themselves, nyahaha!"_

_'I swear one of these days, I'm gonna give that cat a piece of my mind'_, I rubbed my eyes drowsily before I get up and prepare myself for another day. After stepping out of the shower, I realized that the other three tenants already went ahead while I was still asleep so I grabbed my ElectroID and was about to head out when I saw Nao, "Oh, you just woke up...?"

"Good morning, Ms. Hoshino!" Nao bowed as she said, "I forgot my ElectroID. I just had breakfast and they asked me to come get you and Ms. Takara!"

"Oh, Homare too slept in..?" I'm not surprised, it was almost nighttime when we've just finished our check-up. "I will go with you too...."

Both of us headed towards the Room 3, Nao tried to opened it but _it wouldn't budged_. "H-Huh...?" Nao keeps on twisting the handle._ "I-It wasn't locked when we left it....?"_

I tried knocking on the door and raised my voice slightly to not disturb anyone still in their rooms, "Homare! It's already morning! Time to wake up!"

_Nothing. No noises or shuffling inside the room_. My anxiety immediately spiked when seconds of silence turned into minutes. _'Surely, she's in a bath or something. Maybe she's just prepping herself...?'_ I tried reasoning with myself.

Looking for another way to get in, I saw the window panel above the door, _opened wide_. I swallowed down my spit as I asked Nao, "Nao, do you think you can crawl through that opening there...?"

"H-huh?" She looked at me confused. Once I pointed at the opened window, she immediately understood, "Yeah, I can. I need a little boost though...."

I held Nao by her waist and lifted her upwards easily, as she grabbed onto the window frame and slowly crawls her way in. I can hear a small thud inside the room and an _'ow'_ from Nao. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah.... there's a chair near the door though.... I accidentally tripped over it....."

_'A chair....? Why would there be a cha-'_

A bloody scream suddenly rang out inside the room and immediately I try to pried open the door with all my strength, "Nao!? Nao, open the door!!!"

_"What's going on!?"_ I looked back to see Taiga and Hiroshi coming out of their room, followed by Mitsuru and Amane from theirs as well. With my attention focused on those people, I didn't really hear the door unlocked and Nao immediately tackled me to the ground, her face buries into my chest while sobbing, _"Ta-Takara......"_

....

_No_

_No, no, n**o, no, no, no, no**_

..........

_( <strike>**Just like what that thing said**</strike> )_

Standing up slowly, Nao guided me into the room and I was met with a horrific sight; _Homare, and her oddly serene face, hanging by the ceiling fan, suspended on bloodied towels. _Taiga and the others walked into the room as well, Mitsuru let out a shriek of terror. 

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

** _"Ladies and Gentleman!! It seems like we have a new murder case!!! Please gather around the first floor to start clue hunting!!"_ **

The monitor turned off immediately after that announcement and I just want to shut it out of my head. _That sickening sweet voice of that damned cat and with the nauseous sight of a deceased **friend**, I want to shut everything the hell out_....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Oki Renma  
[ Title ] Ultimate Medium  
[ Height ] 172 cm  
[ Weight ] 68 kg  
[ Chest ] 50 cm  
[ Blood Type ] O  
[ D.O.B ] 14th August  
[ Likes ] Aromatherapy  
[ Dislikes ] Bitter Melon  
-


	5. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Deadly Life - Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first trial investigation has finally begun yet there's a lot of missing pieces that doesn't quite fit in.

Once everyone started to gather around in the room, Monomyou appeared with its sickeningly loud high-pitched voice, "_Woohooooo!!_ Finally, one of you made up your fuckin' mind!! I've been waiting for so long that I was so close to consider killing everyone instead!! Good thing I didn't!!"

We don't have the energy, the thought, _or even care_ _enough_ to argue against it, not when we're trying to accept the first death of our group. _'This doesn't make sense....'_ I bit my nails out of frustration, _'Everything was fine before.... so why did this happened!?'_

_I'm furious, livid. _All those negative emotions swirled inside my head. _'The killer didn't even spare her the misery....'_ I tried to steady my breathing before anyone could notice. _'I shouldn't be thinking like this... this shouldn't throw me off..... I've done this too many time before...'_

Just when I'm ready to face forward, a hand hold me back as I turned to see Renma's concerned face. A face the clearly said, _'Take your time, don't force yourself'_. Biting the insides of my mouth, I hold onto the hand on my shoulder, "What should we do now that you got what you wanted, Monomyou...?"

"Ohohoho!" The cat snickers. "We're gonna play a detective game, of course!! Everyone will take part in the _'**Class Trial'**!!!_ Now that we have a defenseless victim, it's obvious that everyone has to investigate!!! No stone will be left un-turn!!!"

Monomyou handed everyone an electronic tablet, similar to the previous ones that held our motive videos, "Let you adorable host explain a small fraction on how you will begin! The _killer_ or _'**blackened**'_ is among you guys but you wouldn't know that until the class trial!! So basically, you will be unknowingly work alongside with one!! Make sure you ravaged your suspected area clean and not miss a single clue!!! Then, you may provide your claims and evidences to sniff out the blackened!!!" They said with a pose, "Nyahahaha!! See ya' in the _'_**_C__lass Trial_**_'__!!!_"

With that, the cat disappeared once again. The air was deathly still before I spoke up first, "Renma... would you mind tell the spirits here that we came in here to honor the deceased? Homare, _if she's still here_, needs to know that we're doing this for her...."

"A-Ah...." Renma was taken aback now that I referred to him by his first name, much like he took me off-guard by using my nickname. "I shall fulfill that request...." He walked over to Homare's body, giving enough distance. Slowly, he was chanting in a low voice and quietly before he ended with, "_May your soul rest in peace... may we be able to avenge your cruel demise_..."

The medium stepped back and gave us a clear indication that it's safe to pass. "Thank you, Renma.... I'm sure Homare will forever be grateful...." I said as I put on my black gloves. I then proceed to ask the others, "I'm gonna thoroughly inspect her now.... would anyone help to keep her steady?"

"I will do it...." Taiga volunteered. Carefully, he held the body still, cringing every time he heard a creak, "_I'm sorry, Homare_...."

Looking through the _'Monomyou Record File'_, it dubbed itself, and compared it to her current condition, I listed out, "**_Time of death_** _is_ **_unknown_**. _**Cause of death** is **asphyxiation**_. _Suffered from a **blunt force trauma** **on the center part of her head**_. There's **_dried blood residue_** from the wound with **_unknown flakes_** surrounding it....." I tried searching through her pockets and found the key card to the door, "**_The door was locked from the inside_**...."

Taiga and Saku proceed to untie the knots of the towels so that we can let the body lay down on the bed delicately. I glanced at **_the chair near the front entrance_**, keeping that in mind.

"_This is strange_...." Shoma hummed while staring at the record file in his hands. "_This is too strange_....."

"What is it, freakhead?" Higura glared with a frown. "If you have something useful to say then spit it out. This isn't the time for your cryptic bullshit."

"All creatures eventually bleed..... and will never stop bleeding....." said Shoma. "_When did it stopped for her_....?"

"_Stopped for her_...?" It took me a while to figure out what he meant by that before inspecting the wound closely and her whole body as well. _Dried-up_ and there's **_no blood puddle_** **_in this room_** before we even enter. Everything is spotless. "There might be clues at other places.... search the reception area, dining hall, kitchen and possible the first floor near our rooms...."

They all nodded in agreement and immediately dispersed. I took the chance and check the bathroom as well, eyeing on anything suspicious. I looked over that **_broken faucet_** **_of the sink_** and my eyes landed on the towels neatly packed on top of the cabinet. **_Each room has five fresh towels_** and judging by the towels currently drying over the hangers; **_three towels has been used and leaving two unused_**. 

"The culprit didn't used the towels from here...." I muttered. I remembered our groups' bathroom have four used towels and one unused so it's out of the question as well. Looking back at the bedroom, silently glad that the other three key holders still present, "_Mochizuki_, _Sekiguchi_... mind if you give me your key cards... I wanna check something....."

Both of them gave me the cards and right when I was about to leave, a certain _someone_ pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and said in a hush voice, "_Mind if I follow you along, little miss?_"

It took every ounce of energy I have within me not to get physical before sighing, "If you actually want to help for once without any distractions then fine...."

Hisao then pulled off the hood with a smile and patted my shoulders, "Okay!"

I gave him his group's key card as we both check both rooms at the same time. The second room looked tidy even after the pillow fight yesterday. Repressing the memory I joined in that fight with Homare, I immediately check the bathroom. _All five towels and only four were used, nothing out of ordinary._

"Heeeey, little misssy!" Hisao called out from the hallway. _"Nothing too sus! One clean towels and four stinky ones!"_

"So... it's the same amount for all the rooms on this floor..." I grumbled, locking the front door behind me. "Then the **_bloody towels _**came from the culprit's own room on the first floor...."

"If ya' suggesting checking each individual rooms, then you will be wasting your time...." Hisao pointed out. "There's a time limit for our investigation...." He showed his record file as pointed at the right corner of the device, a timer counting down till the **_Class Trial_**.

"This isn't enough time..." I clicked my tongue. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Nao, still shaking and outside of the room. _'I should give her some space... but... this is crucial-'_

_"Hey, little ghostwriter! Got a bone to pick with ya'!"_

"_Wait-_" I watched how Hisao just approached her without a care or even notice the frightened look on her face. She stared up at the conman, lips pressed thinly, "W-What... Mr. Mafuyu?"

"Did you, Hina and Machi notice anything strange going on in your room overnight?" Hisao asked. "Like hearing any noises?"

"N-No.... or... at least I didn't.... Hina and I are deep-sleepers and all throughout the night.... Macchan is a loud snorer so we can't hear anything...." somewhere in the crime room, we can hear Machi sneezed and Renma scolding him afterwards. "But when we, three, woke up around**_ 6.00 am_**... Homare was in her bed, still sleeping....."

_'What was that?'_

... was the first thing that crossed our mind. Hearing that, Hisao's expression changed, from a playful mask to a serious one. He must have the same thought process as I do,_ 'This makes **Group 3's alibi** shaky....for now, they're the main suspects....'_

"You guys went to the dining hall afterwards right?" I immediately joined in the conversation. "Can you remember who was there before and after you guys?"

"A-Ah...." Nao tries to remember back from early morning. "We arrived around **_7 am_**. Before us were Higura and Saku who said they were there around **_6:45 am_**. I didn't keep track of the time afterwards but I remember them in order; _Kiharu_, _Hisao, Renma, Hibiki and Shoma_ arrived...." 

"We can confirmed that the people not at the dining halls are still in their rooms before_ **the body discovery announcement**_....." The more information I collected, the more disorganized it gets. The timing between everything is just **_messed up_**. Anyone, I mean, _anyone_ should have noticed something is **_off_**. 

"For now we should go see whether the ground floor crew found anything useful...." Hisao suggested. Nao and I agreed as the three of us made our way to the elevator. After the elevator door closes, I caught Hisao staring down at something. 

_"What's the matter....?" _

"_There's this smell that's been bugging me since this morning_...." He sniffed the air once more. He then proceed to bend down and touched the carpeted floor with his bare hand. The conman brought his hand to his face and gave it a whiff, "Yup, someone cleaned this corner in the morning..... No doubt, I can still smell blood...."

"Now that you mentioned it....." After hearing that, I took a quick whiff of the air and notice the **_subtle odd smell_**. "I can barely even notice the difference..... you have a strong sense of smell?"

"Eh... not a fan to talk about it. But this confirms it that the killer transported the body from the real crime scene to misled us..."

"Homare's an early-riser... she must have checked the ground floor all by herself and that's when the killer got her....." I muttered. 

"T-That's... a problem...." said Nao._"If she w-was killed.... be-before anyone else was up.... then... wouldn't everyone's alibi.... be hardly concrete...?"_

"Whoever this killer is.... they're really a pain in the neck..." pondered Hisao. "If that cat gave us the time when the killing happened... we might be able to narrow it down slightly...."

But still, everyone's alibi is either airtight or nonexistent. We can't account everyone's alibi during nighttime either. _'There's a gap there but I couldn't think of anything....'_

Once the elevator door opened, we spotted Kiharu and Saku at the reception area, inspecting. "Ah, Ms. Investigator!!" the archaeologist called out. "I think we found where the scene took place!!"

"Right here...." Saku pointed at the spotless place near in front of the reception area but thanks to light reflecting on the tiles, we can see it was recently moped with the **_visible streaks on the tiles_**. "And there's also this...."

Saku handed over a **_bloodied white coat_** to Hisao, "Found this while rummaging through the trash behind the reception desk..... it was buried deep under other miscellaneous junks...."

"This look like a... lab coat...." I heard Hisao whispered under his breath. He folded and tucked it under his armpit. "... Hey missy, how about ya' check out the kitchen? Nao headed there and maybe we can get more clues from there.... There's something I wanna ask to these two here...."

"Okay.... take care, you three...." I bid farewell, still pondering about the conman's attitude towards all this. While he still maintained his playful side, he knows his boundaries. Perhaps, he just trying to gain everyone's trust so that his own side of the escape plan would work?

_'Now that I think about it...'_ What is his plan to beat the killing game in the first place? If this sleepover was just a part of it, wouldn't this consider to be a failure to him? Or.... _is he aiming for something different? _Reluctantly, I added him to the list of suspects, hoping to get more answers from the class trial later. 

* * *

"Macchan, did you find anything else?"

"W-Whoa...!" Machi almost lost his footing and tripped but I managed to catch him. "T-That was surprising.... for a moment there, I was expecting to see Nao...."

"Sorry for calling you out like that....." I've been meaning to ask the little ghostwriter if this kind of reaction has been occurring to her here but that can wait till next time. "Have you found anything suspicious here in the dining hall....?"

"Sort of....." He retrieved **_a box of herbal tea bags_** that Homare first prepared for us on the first day. "I was on kitchen duty with Homare after we first arrived here.... This box set have twelve tea bags and I remember Homare using only two of them. I don't recalled Higura and Saku using them yesterday when it's their turn but when I check it just now.... there's only eight of them left.... I'm sorry if it wasn't useful..."

"No, no... it might be crucial...." I gave him a reassuring smile. "_Like what she said_.... _'Unimportant facts may turn out to be crucial down the line'_...."

"Y-Yeah...." Machi stuttered, almost taken back at what I've said. He must have no expected that, "You're surprisingly a soft-hearted person.... that was really dangerous....."

"Ahahaha, that's the first time someone ever called me that....." I laughed off his comment. Machi then advised that I should check out Shoma and Higura at the kitchen currently. I nodded and went ahead to the said area. Like what Hisao said before, Nao is also with them. 

"Have you three found anythin-!?" Before I can even complete my sentence, something swung right at me, aiming my head. I could barely dodged it in time, feeling it merely grazed my head, "What are you-!?"

Shoma just keeps on swinging something aggressively at my direction and no matter what, my scolding doesn't even fazed him. Timing it perfectly, I grabbed the thing, _that_ _turns out to be a **rolling pin**_, before it could make an impact on my head, "What the hell were you thinking!?"

"..... Ah!" Shoma somehow just realized there was someone right in front of him the whole time. "Sumi, it's you.... this equipment is truly useful... when no one noticed......" 

"You mean; _'It would be more efficient if the victim didn't see the attack coming using this from the back'_...." Nao deciphered his cryptic wordings with ease. "W-We get what you're trying to say so please d-don't prove your point even further!!"

Shoma lifted up the possible killer's weapon and I can immediately tell how much of the impact the bulky rolling pin can actually deal, my arm felt a bit sore. With the right momentum and angle, you can use it to render anyone useless. I also noticed how it felt damp a bit, "No one used that this morning right....?"

"Nah, Hinako and Shoma doesn't used them at all....." said Higura. "It's also their **_rotation time to use the kitchen_** but they don't see jackshit.... no one sneak past them or anything...."

"We know how the killer can easily get Homare.... but that still doesn't explained how they managed to set up _that scene_ in the bedroom...." All of this must have occurred really early than I first thought. ".... No one hear a single thing last night-"

"**_Actually_**..." Shoma cuts in with cheek resting on his left hand, "_This critter heard a door opened_....."

_"What?" _

"Faint but....." Shoma hummed. "The critter hear the steps of the sword-bearer... marching along like a soldier, little before dawn...... There's another set that this critter couldn't hear very well...."

"The more shit you talked, the more I seriously think you need to get that head of yours dissected and checked....." Higura remarked. "How the fuck do you even recognized people just by their footsteps?"

"He.... probably just have an excellent hearing......"I tried to defend **_Shoma's account _**while it does sound really off. If it's true, then we know when Homare left her room. "Is it just their door that you've heard? Did you hear anything after that?"

"No.... this critter can only do that much....." Shoma pouted. "If this critter knew the sword-bearer is in distress.... I wouldn't have failed them....."

Shoma, understandably, seems upset that he let the chance to prevent Homare's demise from happening.

** _.........._ **

_'**Damn it**....'_ I try to restrained from hitting myself in front of others. _'I can't think about it at a time like this. Lamenting about what happened is inevitable but at the same time.... the more time we wasted, the closer our own demise will caught onto us.... Homare wanted everyone to be safe..... and I don't wanna fail that last wish of hers!'_

_"Just fucking blame the victim...." _

All three heads stared at the graphic designer who looked, as usual, irritated, "If that bitch didn't leave without someone to look after that stuck-up ass of hers, then this whole bullshit trial wouldn't happened..... But here we are now cleaning up her mess that she clearly should have fucking seen it coming!! So the lesser yous better do your best in this so that we all can fucking shove our well-deserved victory in that bitch's face!"

"T-that's not a very nice way to put it......." said Nao.

"_But he's not completely wrong_...." Now, their eyes turned to me. "Homare should know how dangerous it is after our motive videos were shown..... if she knew that, then she wouldn't go alone. **_But_**......for her to do it otherwise.... so early in fact.... _it almost seem like she was lured out_...."

"Oh yeah, she was acting pretty fucking suspicious yesterday, acting like a shy virgin!" Higura recalled yesterday's evening meeting. "Ya' think this whole slumber party was set up because _she was hiding some shit?_"

"That's...... _a possibility_......" Could it be the reason why she was acting so shifty and off yesterday was because someone prompted her to do that? _'If the sleepover idea made her really fidgety then.. maybe..... Hisao **did** have a hand in this case.....'_

"Sumi" I felt an extra weight added on my back before recognizing the voice belongs to the medium. "I have acquired something..... _odd_...." He uncurled his hand to reveal a tissue that's wrapped something, "I cautiously try not to contaminate this evidence in any way....."

I picked it up to inspect it closely, "..... **_Alcohol swabs_**... and those flakey stuffs from the wound again...." _'It's **bloody** too....There's a strong scent as well but why does it smells **familiar**.....?'_

"Ah... that....." Shoma's eye narrowed once he saw the swabs. "Those came from the medical kit in the kitchen.... the box was torn opened....."

And with that, our investigation time came to an end when the PA system picks up once again;

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ahem! Your investigation time is up!! Alright, little detectives!!! It's time to move forward to the exciting '**Class Trial'** event!! Please head your way to the northwest of the hotel immediately!!_

The PA system shuts off, everyone in the dining hall and kitchen immediately met up with the remaining people in the reception hall. "Northwest.....? But that's just the small woodland area.... wasn't?" Hinako asked. If it's true, then Monomyou must have kept that place well hidden until _this thing happened_.

"We should head there....." I checked to make sure everyone's present. "... That thing doesn't have much patience to deal with us....." 

Slowly, the hall gets emptier as we dreadfully headed our way to the said location

* * *

On our way there, my thoughts about this case still lingers, _'How did the culprit got away with this? How did they managed to sneak past multiple people close during morning time?'_ and so on. We stopped once we saw the said woodland but looking at it closely, we could clearly see it's an old building that's been wrapped in an overgrown forest. 

Kiharu and Renma were inspecting it, feeling the walls and looking for something dangerous. The archaeologist was the first one to pull away, "A single-storey building and with this...." she pointed at the button mechanism on the wall, "... It's safe to assume that this is an elevator to.... _somewhere_....."

"An underground trial...." Renma continues. "There's no mistake.... we will be taken down where we will refute each other......"

"Then hurry up and call for it already...." Hisao yawned. "It's bad enough we have to go all out for this so early in the morning......"

"_I fucking hope you're the murderer so I can skewered you without a thought_...." Higura gritted his teeth. 

"Awwww, a mild threat....." Hisao snickers in a mocking tone. "How adorable... what's next? You're going to threatened everyone with murder? Oh, you better keep that as a secret if you valued your assets!"

"_**Break it up**_..." I pushed both of them back, sending a glare to the conman who's still grinning at me. "... If you guys wanna fight that badly... then I suggest you two go all out during the trial later instead..."

_"Hm, fine by me..."_

_"Tch, fine... whatever, I'm still gonna hauled that donkey ass down into the fucking ground....."_

Thankfully, Kiharu, amidst the argument, called the elevator and once the door opened, everyone immediately flood in. I watched as the small room filled up ever so slowly, making sure every single one of them get in..... then I suddenly felt a pair of hands slid under my jacket and touched my sides.

_"Atchu-"_

_"Ngyah!?"_

I whipped around, feeling my cheeks burning up from embarrassment, to see Shoma with his hands up, "Y-You.... this isn't the time for-!!"

"_Critter won't survive when under stress_....." Shoma cuts me off. He took my hand as he pulls me along the elevator shaft, "When critters went under too much stress.... critters would immediately give out........_ critters such as ourselves shouldn't think too much of that_......"

Once he lets go of my hand, it just occurred to me how strong his grip was when I saw the reddish marking, _'Wha... .what's with him trying to help but ended up being frightening instead....?'_

"That was unexpectedly cute of you, little miss!!" Hisao chuckles. "Didn't know you would make that kind of noise when someone took you off-guard!"

"_Oh, please shut it_....." I sighed. 

As we felt the elevator slowly descends, the usual silence shattered by Mitsuru who speak up first after we got in here, "D-Do.... you guys really think one of us did this....?"

"Asking a question like that with all of us here is a useless attempt...." Amane remarked. "If that's true, the killer obviously won't immediately admit it out loud....."

"H-Hey!" Saku interjected. "We don't know that fact for sure! There's a possibility that this whole thing is rigged, you know!! Everything about this seems fishy!!!"

"Gonna cut off my tongue later for saying this but airborne fuckhead is right...." Higura dodged an incoming attack from Saku just in time as he continues, ".... with how we found that corpse and the useless evidences were placed.... I'm putting my bets on this being rigged by that furfuck to watch us fail miserably!!"

"Oh~ho? You're placing bets again?" Hisao chuckles. "Mind if I placed mine as well to prove you wrong? Since your tongue will be gone after this, I would like to take one of your ears since you're a one-sided person after all!!"

_"Fuck off with your weird fetish of collecting severed limbs!!"_

_"Well, it doesn't look like you're putting your ears into good use!"_

_'Ah well.... I can't stop them all the time.....' _I admitted defeat in my own mind, but it still managed to make smile while hearing those two arguing about ridiculous things. _'Yeah... this is better than that heavy, defeaning silence that's too dreadful to bear....'_ and with that, the elevator door opened up.

* * *

_"Laaaaaadies and Geeeeentlemen!! Welcome to the moment you all have been waiting for!!!"_

Monomyou, with its booming voice, plopped onto its throne, silver bearings with blue cushioning that stood higher than the rest, "_**The Class Trial**!!!_ Please make your way to your own podiums so that your adorable host will explain how this game goes, works and ends!"

Our names were engraved on each podiums and we immediately search around to find ours. Right at the first podium facing the elevator, the order goes clockwise;

* * *

_Mitsuru, Shoma, Hinako, Hiroshi, Saku, Nao, Renma, Amane, Hisao, Kiharu, Sumire, Taiga, Homare, Machi, Higura, Hibiki_

* * *

The courtroom is just as lavish as the hotel's layout; marble pillars surrounded with fake vines, white floral tiles, cerulean blue wallpaper with fleur-de-elise markings and dark blue curtains draped over over the ceiling. 

I can't even appreciate the architecture of the room enough when my eyes fell onto the empty podium.... _or what supposed to be an empty podium_ but instead, a standing picture frame of Takara Homare with a bloody X on it. Looking at it closely, the X was smartly depicted by two foils crossed.

"Hey, what the hell's with **_that_**....?" Hiroshi was the first one to point it out verbally.

"Oh, that? Why, we don't want your friend here to miss out on the fun, right?" said Monomyou innocently. "Rather than constantly bawling your eyes out, how about finding this so called _'justice'_ for your dead friend here?"

"You have no rights to say that!!" Kiharu shouted. "For all we know, you might be the one behind all of this!!"

"Im_paw_sible! _Ackh! I stuttered!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "It's impossible for the host to commit such crime!! It's against the rules of this game!!! Which I will now explain you lovely, irresistible yet impatient brats!! As you all heard that or are deaf, _your lovely host has no hand or help in this killing game!!_"

"With no exception?" Taiga asked.

"Of course, I _coooould _hurt one of you guys but that only applies to rule-breakers!!"

_'So Monomyou couldn't have done it....'_ I thought. _'Then the killer really is one of us....'_

"Okay, okay! Now to present the rules before any of you bastards are going to interrupt!!" exclaimed Monomyou. "_**Rule One**_, each every single one of you will present your evidences and arguments while theorized who the killer might be. _**Rule Two**_, if all of you managed to vote the correct killer or _blackened_, _the killer will be** punished** for its heinous crime_!! _**Rule Three**_, if you vote for the wrong person, everyone gets the punishment but_ the blackened will be **set free**!!_ Wohoooo! Hear that, killer?! Better blend in well!!"

"Punished...?" remarked Hinako. "What does that mean?"

"Nyahahaha! Let's just say, it will give the killer the taste of it own medicine!!' laughed Monomyou. "Oh, before I forgot or you all suddenly lose any braincells from this! _**Rule Four**_,_ **you must vote** **for someone!**_ Refusing to vote will have terrible consequences so you better not mess it up!!"

"E-Either way...." Mitsuru stammered. "All of our lives are on stake right now!!"

"There's no other way for us....." Renma clears his throat. "The spirits that surrounds this place...... proves that our dear host isn't lying about these rulings....."

"B-But.... H-How are we gonna....." Nao wasn't able to finish her sentence before breaking into tears again. The air became tense again, all of them begin to doubt each other. _'This is bad....'_ I gulped down the heavy lump in my throat, _'Now the pressure is really getting to them.... if this keeps on going... we will never reach till the end-!'_

.........

"_**Ah geez, you guys are such a handful of cowards**_...."

...........

Everyone turned to look at Hisao, who stared at them disinterested and, dare I say, _**disgust**_, "You guys stepped into this place and once you hear all the simple rules, you guys want to pull out that _'tail between your legs'_ card now?_ Man, you guys are way more worst that I am!"_

"T-This isn't funny!!" Saku yelled out. "What if we're wrong in the end!? What if we can't find out who killed Homare?!"

_"**Huh?**"_ Hisao glared down at him and I suddenly felt shiver down my spine. His expressionless face yet his voice still filled with malice, "_**Huuuh?**_ _What the hell are you talking about? **Of course we will find them**. You guys are just refusing reality. You refused to admit one of us killed her. You all refused the harsh reality on what was brought upon you all....._"

Hisao brought his hand around his own neck, eyeing on everyone, "_Of course, unless you're willing to forfeit your own life and to not endure such torture,_ _**you can die right here, right now**_. _You can even go see_ _**our beloved leader**_ _we all looked up to so much_, _**who promised us that no such killing will happen**_...."

And just like that, my stomach just dropped. My mouth is open but I can't find the words I'm trying to say. I froze. Twice in the row that I actually froze in my place. But then this similar feeling....._ also happened before when I first met Hisao, the two-faced conman_.

_The man who took the words of a dead person to taunt others. The man who wouldn't dare not to show his distrust in others and put them in their place. **That's the man who Mafuyu Hisao is**_.

"......._**Goddammit**_..." Hisao suddenly hit himself in the head with a distressed look on his face. "Now look at what you guys made me do! It's all because of your whining of unfairness! I lost my mood in taking this case seriously!! Thanks a lot.... _**not!**_"

A huge noise echoed through the room and our attention landed on Higura who slammed both of his hands onto the podium, "_**Fuck**.... **off**_......... _**Fuck off with your creepy ass villain monologue and your superiority complex**!!!_ We're not fucking forfeiting for **_shit_** when we're this far ahead!!! If we're all gonna die then fuck it! _It's better to not die as worthless trashy scums who didn't even try at all!!"_

"Y-Yeah!!!" Saku backed him up. "E-Even though we don't agree with the rules....."

"We will be disrespecting Homare's spirit....." Renma continued on. "She will be disappointed in us if we don't avenge her.... so... we, unfortunately, have to reject your proposal for us to perish....."

With the newfound determination that was suddenly prompted, everyone finally calmed down and prepared for the trial. Hisao sneak a glance right at me, winking as he placed a finger near his mouth while mouthing, _'A little push...'_

_'This son of a bitch....' _I can't help but let out a small laugh. _So that's his intention_. As I inhaled deeply, I watched how Monomyou just looked over all of us with a bored look on their face, "Hey, were you paying attention? We're ready now!!"

"_Uhnyah?!_" Monomyou dropped something they were playing with while we were arguing. "F-Finally!! You guys are so emotional and it's exhausting to watch your turmoil time after time!! _Alrighty then!!_ _We can now officially start the **Class Trial**!!! With your wits and strength!! _**_It's time to refute with all your might!!_**_"_

_'One of us is the killer.... one of us is determined to escape from here no matter at what cost..... but we're not gonna let them! Not until we bring them to **justice**....'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Amahiko Shoma  
[ Title ] Ultimate Marine Biologist  
[ Height ] 171 cm  
[ Weight ] 72 kg  
[ Chest ] 55 cm  
[ Blood Type ] O  
[ D.O.B ] 9th January  
[ Likes ] Collecting Live Specimen  
[ Dislikes ] Discomfort  
-


	6. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Deadly Life - Trial I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial started with clearing out everyone's placement during the morning time. From there on, the real mystery behind the case starts to unraveled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -slams the door down-  
I never thought about how I will showcase the debates and mini-games as normal conversation here so I just yeet'ed it.
> 
> Also, maybe Sumire's Logic Dive/Psyche Taxi would just be her riding a motorcycle and performing tricks to gain some sweet extra seconds, I'm not creative.  
I LITERALLY DON'T WANNA THINK ABOUT HER VERSION OF HANGMAN'S GAMBIT BECAUSE THAT'S MY LEAST FAV. MININGAME.
> 
> Also No.2, because Sumire joined Hisao's ragtag group, I imagined them being able to back up any claim that Sumi makes to avoid losing influence gauge that much when making a mistake (It was optional to join them but in this story, she did)
> 
> I would love to say Sumi choices does matter in the end but -laughs- she's in big fucking trouble regardless.  
\----
> 
> Besides my rambling, please do keep in mind any medical terms, usage of certain medical ailments and literally anything related to science MAY BE INCORRECT IN THIS CHAPTER (i'm not an expert in human medicine, just animal's-)

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"Well then! It's about time we started this class trial with high spirit!!" Monomyou beamed up. "Let us begin the trial with the first topic! May someone be a dear to volunteer as our first speaker?"

"There's one thing I want to confirm before going into the main points in this case...." I started first with the question that's been bugging me. "_I want to know the alibi of all the the people who weren't in the dining hall this morning_...."

"Those people would be......" Saku pondered. "_Amane, Mitsuru, Taiga and Hiroshi_, right? Then, we should-"

"_**Hooold on**_...." Hisao cuts in immediately. "How about you, _little miss leader all of the sudden?_ You weren't in the dining hall in the morning as well, right?"

_'What was that?'_ Why on earth is he ganging up on me all of the sudden. Surely, he must be messing around, "I just woke up late, that's all...."

"I-I can testify that!!" Nao backed me up. "She just left her room after getting dressed when I went to get my ElectroID!"

"Hmmm... nope! Not really convincing!" Hisao smiled. "For all we know, _you might be the killer in disguise as well! There's no way we can let that possibility aside!! _So, you better fest out or else you're gonna be a person of interest!!"

"W-What..?" I was taken aback by his claim, _is he serious about this?_ But then again, his suspicion does seem reasonable; _just because I'm being serious about this case, it doesn't mean I couldn't be the culprit_.

"_Oh dear, you have a lot of venom in that sentence of yours_...." Renma smiled menacingly. "It seems you valued your own life poorly if you dare to accused our investigator like that...."

"Hey, keep it in your pants, spiritfucker!!" Higura hissed. "Just because you two are close, it doesn't mean you should listen to that pitched tent down there!!!"

"_**I will eviscerate you when I get that chance**_....." Renma spat back. "The people looking after her, _including myself_, would have been alerted if she would leave the room.... after all, Hibiki and I are quite the light-sleepers...."

"_That is correct_. Plus, she was quickly out like an extinguished candle........" Hibiki added in. "If you account of her and Homare spending almost till nighttime checking all of us individually....... _it would make sense for her to be late_..."

"Y-Yeah but what if she sneaked past you guys so that she wouldn't wake you up...?" Kiharu asked. "J-Just to be sure!! I-It's not like I don't really trust you guys' or anything!!!"

_'Everyone's starting to doubt my alibi.... I must convinced them that I wasn't the killer! There's gotta be a way to prove it that doesn't involved any personal account!'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"_It doesn't matter **who's with her or saw her**...._" said Kiharu. "_But the fact she's all alone after you guys left does seem suspicious_..."

"Is there any way to prove that claim even..." asked Renma. "_Especially **during morning time? Even during nighttime?**_"

"But there's no other way...!" Mitsuru shrieked. "_We were all out like a light for the entirety of the night!_"

"_Unless there's a **technical way** to prove that she isn't the killer_....." Taiga remarked. ".... _Maybe we can ask Monomyou for help_..?"

"_Nyargh!?_" Monomyou jumped in their seat. "_You guys have already reached** a dead end**!?"_

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

"Actually, there is a way...." I snapped my fingers as I turned to Monomyou, "Hey, our darling, magnificent host..... can I ask you something about **_the body discovery announcement?_**"

"_Ohohoho!_" Monomyou squirmed in their seat. "Hearing the word _'magnificent' _gives me the tingly!! Go on, dearie, this _magnificent_ host will gladly answer for you!"

"What's the requirement for the announcement to go off?" I asked. "_Is there a limit to how many people who discovered the body? If so, would that includes the killer?_"

"_Gyeh-!? _Why did you decided to bring that question up so fast?! You could have wait to ask me that until the third trial!!!" Monomyou was reluctant to answer, keeping us in suspense. "F-Fine.... there should be at least _**three people who discovered the body**_.... the _**killer is excluded**_...."

"_**Nao** **and I**_ went into the room first so that makes it **_two people already_**...." I pointed out. "**_Taiga_ **went in quicker than the rest and that's when **_the discovery announcement went off_**...."

"I see now!" Macchan exclaimed. "If _Sumi is a killer_ then it wouldn't _go off until the next person enters the room!! _So that next person would have been....?"

"That would be me...." mutters Mitsuru. "But I already hear the _announcement_ _before I could even step into the room_....."

"Okay so now that's out of the way!!" said Hisao. "Now we can move onto the other slackers who are all holed up in their rooms!!"

"H-Hey! Why did you start accusing me in the first place!?"

"_Well, that was just a bait_...." Hisao waved his hand around. "I was wondering if you would bring up _that announcement thing_ during this whole trial but since I'm an impatient man, I decided to throw in some bait and_ you took it really well!_"

"Don't tell me you're using that to _**eliminate some suspects off**_...?" I would applaud for that but honestly?_ I'm ticked that he did that just to scare me_.

"So...." the conman continued. "It's obvious that little miss, ghostwriter and marksman didn't do it since they caused that announcement... so the only remaining people are _Amane, Mitsuru and Hiroshi_.... oh! And thank you, our beloved host for an interesting fact!"

"_Hnngh-!!!_ Flattery won't get you anywhere, f-fools!!" Monomyou squirmed even further in their seat. "Your sweet-talking won't affect me that much-!!!"

"_I-Is... it getting off of praises...?_" Mitsuru paled. "That's so low, _even for me_..... of course, my interest doesn't go low as-"

"_**Anyways**_...." I grabbed everyone's attention from... _that_. "_Asami, Sekiguchi and Osame_.... mind filling us in on what were you guys doing when the others left for the dining hall?"

"Well, Taiga and I cleaned up the mess we caused from our last night pillow fight...." Hiroshi explained. I did enter their room during the investigation and so far, he's staying true to his side of the story. "_It was really messy that we have to pick up some pillow stuffings_..."

"I actually _woke up early with Hisao and Kiharu_ but I spent the entire time _trying to wake up Amane!!_" Mitsuru pouted. "He's really stubborn _even during comatose state!!_"

"I can back that up, Mitsuru tries to suffocate him using the pillow and it didn't work...." Kiharu sighed, remembering back that loud and terrifying moment. "_He's a real treat_......"

"_**Shut it**_..." said the composer. "_If it weren't for you wenches, I could have woken up in a top-notch condition_...."

"_**Then sleep in early next time**_..." It's Hisao's turn to snapped back at him. "Well, still dodgy... but that's everyone, alright...."

"_But where does that take us now_....?" Hibiki listed out the said alibis collected so far, "We've sort of cleared everyone's alibi in but _the people who stayed in their rooms most of the morning is still under suspicion_...."

"_Why's that....?_" Hiroshi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If what the record file we have now is stating truth......." the singer brought up one of the evidences. "_The wound on her head_.... it would make sense if she got that when she was all by herself..... and the only time_ she would be alone was when Nao and others left the room during morning time_...."

"So... would that mean the killer caught her off-guard once they got into the room....?" Machi asked. "But _there would be a struggle going on, would it_...?"

"_If there's a struggle_ _then that filthy wench and_ _I would hear it since your room is right across ours_...." remarked Amane. "But there wasn't any loud noises or such....."

_"Wench!?"_ Mitsuru shrieked.

_'Did Homare got that wound while she was still in the bedroom? No, there is something I have that contradicts that statement!'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"_It would make sense if the culprit got to her **when she's all by herself**_....." said Hibiki. "_When there's no witnesses around_...."

_"However we would hear **the struggle going on** from our rooms....." _Taiga rebutted. "_The **distance between the front and back rooms** aren't that far_...."

"If such a struggle would to happen there....." remarked Shoma. "... _wouldn't the bedroom be littered with messiness....?_"

"Think about other possibilities though.... I don't think it has to be the bedroom...." Kiharu pointed out. "I think she took that hit**_ somewhere else_**...."

**( _BREAK!_ )**

* * *

"Satoshi, you're talking about the spot near the reception area, right?" I interjected. "The one that has _**visible streaks**_ _**on the tiles**_?"

"Yeah, that's it!! The one we discovered!!" said Kiharu. "I found it odd that there's only one spot of the floor that looked recently cleaned while the rest remained dirty....."

"Homare got that head wound when she was at the reception area so--"

( _**ARGUED: Yokoda Machi**_ \- _"Your logic seem flawed to me!"_ \- )

* * *

"I'm sorry to rudely interrupt midway through your sentence but I found that hard to believe...." Machi interjected.

_"W-What hard to believe?"_

"That the crime even took place on the reception area..." Machi pointed out while pushing back his glasses. "That clue might have been tampered prior the body being discovered so it's too soon to admit that even happened!"

_'I need to hear him out if there's something about my claim that he doesn't agree with....'_

"The only possibility was that the culprit sneakily hit her _from behind when she least expected_..." Machi explained. "When she _didn't noticed_ anyone enter the bedroom as well. And that way _without any struggle happening_, the culprit may have_ enough time to hang her body_...."

"But wouldn't inflicting a wound like that caused some part of the room to be bloody though?" I asked. "If it did happened in the bedroom, why was there no speck of blood when Nao and I first entered!"

"The culprit must have used _the bloodied towels_ we found to put _pressure on her wound_ _quickly_ to stop the bleeding!" Machi added. "And that's what I think is actually happening! **_There's no other evidences that_ _a body_** _**was ****moved prior to morning time**!_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"The reception area isn't the only place that proves my theory to be possible...." I glanced over to the conman, checking out his fingernails the whole time. I coughed and he finally glanced upwards towards me, "_Hisao_, _care to explain yourself_...."

"Ugh... _hyperosmia _is such a pain to explain...." Hisao groaned, scratching the back of his neck. "The elevator smelled different than yesterdays' so I got on my knees and crawled over the carpet floor. The left corner of the elevator was damped a bit but I got a little touchy-touchy and took a whiff and no doubt there was a metallic scent!" he explained in a disinterested voice. "There, happy now?"

"_If it keeps us in the right track then yes, I'm happy that you at least made an effort to explain your finding_...."

"Ah! So it wasn't just me!!" said Hiroshi, surprised by the revelations. "I thought the place smelt odd as well _but it was so faint_..."

"But there's no doubt about it.... the _**subtle odd smell**_ that Hisao pointed out during the investigation is the culprit's way to hide the fact that it happened in _the reception area_...." I then glanced over at Machi. "I hope that answered your doubts against mine...."

"Y-Yes, with multiple witnesses like this.... then it must be true...." Machi nervously replied back. "Sorry for being aggressive with you..."

"Hey, hey!! This is a trial!!" Hisao called out. "There's no use of saying _'sorry'_ when you're trying to weed out some lies! Don't go all soft on others just because you made a mistake!!"

"_You literally accused me as the killer an hour ago_...." I sighed, ignoring the shit-eating grin he has right now. "We can finally ruled out two odd evidences that we found during the investigation but _one question still remained_...."

"_**Nao's testimony**,_ right...? About Homare....." said Machi. "Around _**6 am**_, she was still in her bed..... but if the reception area is the main crime scene then _we would have others witnessing it_...."

"_And sure as hell, the airborne fuckhead and I didn't hear a single shit!_" Higura called out. "There ain't nothing off about that place at all!! Hell, we were all at the dining hall!!"

_'It doesn't have to happened during morning time.... it happened.....'_ Listing through every evidences I found, _there's one that could be the possible answer, _"_**The wound inflicted happened way earlier than we first expected**_. Because_ remember the state of the wound_ clearly. **_I__t was already dried when we first inspected it_**, right?"

"W-Wait... _before we even got up_....?" Saku's eye widened. "But then that means.... Homare would have left her room...."

"And for that, _**Shoma's account**_ makes sense...." Shoma tilted his head in confusion as I explained. "He told me that he heard someone opened the door and two pair of footsteps...... he was sure one of the pairs belongs to Homare as he... _umm_..."

"Homare's steps are elegant and precise like a soldier,_ befitting of her natural talent_.....!" Shoma continued where I left off. "However, this critter can only do so much and have little energy to stay awake thanks to the soothing voice of an angel....."

"O-Oh...." Hibiki looked away, bashful at what the biologist had said. "... I didn't expected to be complimented about my voice here...."

"**_W-What?!_**" Amane looked terrified, gripping hard onto his podium. "You witnessed the _Holy Lorelei's Voice!?_ Absurd, certainly this is absurd!! How dare you lots witnessed it before I do!?"

"_Fucking hell man_...." Higura cringed. "Is everyone here at least not fucking weird or horny all the time....?"

"_I-I think that's a 'no' at this point_...." I can't helped but agree with the foul-mouthed, egoistic graphic designer out of all people. "But to put that in perspective, _Homare left her room with a possible culprit who then attacked her at the reception area_...."

"The culprit would be someone whom she trusted a lot if it's just the two of them...." said Saku. "Then... wouldn't her group be the main suspect then...? Ah, but Nao is surely not a culprit, we already knew that...."

"Y-Yes...." Nao gulped down to her nervousness. "T-To be honest... we didn't hear any noises last night since... M-Macchan snored really loudly...."

"_For the entirety of the night_, even....." Hinako sighed, rubbing her forehead. "We didn't noticed that our door was opened..."

"Ugh... s-sorry, you two..."

"Then... would it possible it was someone she trusted....?" asked Renma. "Based on the facts provided, it does sound like she's on a rendezvous with this culprit.... _perhaps to talk about something_...."

_'A rendezvous..... if it's just a simple meeting.... if it's Homare initiating it then... the only person I could think of her trying speak with in amidst of sleepover plan was......'_

_...._

_..........._

_................._

_"**Mafuyu Hisao**.... I'm sure you have something you've been keeping away from us?"_

Hisao stayed silent when he heard name called out. _Now, it's my turn to gang up on you_. It makes sense even, it was his doing that this whole sleepover plan was set on motion, "_Mafuyu_, if I recalled, you had a hand in this sleepover plan, right? You're the one who suggested to Homare right after our motive videos were revealed......."

"H-Huh....?" Mitsuru tensed up, "I-Is that true...?"

He still stayed silent however, more people start speaking against him. "_I knew you were acting all fucking shady!!_" Higura hissed. "Of course, _**the conman!**_ The least trustworthy person participating in the fucking trial!! Should have burn your ass when I had the chance!"

"For her to be act all weird and fidgety when she suddenly prompted that plan...." Machi glanced at Hisao. "_So it was you_....."

The conversation started to get heated over to the point there's no space to even breathe in normally. Slowly, I feel the anxiety from before spiking up again, _'Come on, why aren't you saying anything?!'_

_And then...._

"_Okay fine, I admit. It was me who suggested it_...." Hisao sighed, brushing off the dirt on his nails by rubbing them against his coat. "_Geez_, it's so annoying when people go hostile on you just because you're a little involved in it..... but just to be clear, Homare was the one asking me to come up with the plan...."

_'Right, this is just a white lie he came up to cover the fact that it was us who-'_ like that, I almost gasped out loud but managed to keep it in. _'Fuck, did I screw up.....? I almost revealed the group's plan-'_

"But just so you know,_ I didn't kill her_...." Hisao simply admitted it with a lot of confidence in his tone. "If I did kill her... that means I would have to go back to my room before anyone in my group even awake yet.... and that key card was tucked every so deeply into the composer's breast pocket and _**I'm not touching him like that**_....."

"Fair but not too important to bring it up...." Amane shrugged.

"_But!!_" the conman smiled in return. "It's true, Homare did say she wanna **_rendezvous with me_** _**early in the morning**_ before everyone else but _**I declined**_...."

"And you didn't say this earlier because....?" Hisao just faked a thinking pose as he answered the aerobat's question.

"Because it will screw me over!! If I mentioned this no big-deal tidbit, _I will surely be voted out!_ You all have so little faith in me so I kept it reaaaal quiet till right now!! It's so sad that I might actually die from the distrust you guys have towards me! _Oh!_ If anyone's curious, she specifically wanna discuss about the final step of our plan!!

"What step...?"

"_Alllll of it is in heeeere!_" Hisao pulled out a familiar small notebook in his hand,_ it was Homare's notebook_. "I managed to steal this when the investigation started... when everyone else got too distracted with the body!!"

"Not only you're a liar but you have no remorse stealing from the dead...?" Renma glared. "_Don't you have any shame at all_...?"

"_Emotions this, emotions that_... aren't y'all curious what our precious leader writes in her book?" Hisao shakes the notebook to catch our attention. "I was when she actually went along with my plan!! It's funny that the person, who kicked my ass twice and still have no such trust in me since the first day, _suddenly agree to what I'm suggesting!!_"

"Then what's written in it....? _Something that changes the sword-bearer mind_....?" Shoma asked.

"Nah... she doesn't change her mind about me at all...." Hisao hummed. "Nope!! She's still _the uptight leader we all love her for!_"

  
"Just spill the goddamn beans already, my head is aching from listening to you yapping all day....." Hiroshi groaned.

The conman just smiled as he said;

"_**Homare was planning to murder someone else first**_...."

Just like that, a collective of gasps were heard in the room, others just flinched at the answer. Higura even dropped his look of annoyance and was just as shocked as everyone else. Machi, Nao and Hinako just stared wide-eyed at the conman.

"_Oh? Oh? Don't believe me?_" Hisao said as he showed the page to the rest of us._ A highly detailed page filled with possible murder scenarios written by Homare_. "_Looky here!_ These are all her handwriting, right? No doubt about that! She listed everything!! _Stabbing, poisoning and even drowning!!_ It's impressive as well! If she did exactly what she planned out, _she would have won immediately!_"

"T-Then that means...." Nao stuttered in fear. "When she went out..... when she tried to rendezvous with you.... _would that mean_...?"

"_She was planning to murder me?_" Hisao shook his head as he closed the notebook. "Perhaps but since I declined, she must have taken another victim then..... but make sense right?_ Why she would go out so early in the morning just to get hit in the head! _That's another mystery solved! _Go team!_"

"So this whole plan was just.... a trap....?" Mitsuru mumbled. "**_A trap just to help her escape from here?!_**"

_Fuming_, everyone's fuming at this revelation. **_And so am I_**. Thinking about the words I said to her, when it was just us before nighttime yesterday... _did I accidentally set her off_...? Did I actually gave her that strength... _to murder?_

.....

_I'm upset and that's reasonable_. **_But not in a time like this_**, "It's.... It's what we should expected...." I gripped onto the podium. "_During a situation like this_...."

"_Ahaha!_ Even dear little miss is on my side!!!" Hisao cheerfully laughed. "It's true though! Just because someone themselves said they don't want anyone to murder each other... _**it doesn't mean they themselves wouldn't!!**_"

"_I suppose_...." Shoma doesn't seem to be affected by this. "It's common human reaction..... even this critter understands..... after motive video... everyone stressed out..... _even the stone-cold sword-bearer_......"

_'Then why are we doing this....'_ I can hear Taiga muttering under his breath. They don't wanna solve this trial for a supposed murderer who they thought was our friend. _And I can't blame them. **I would to**_. But- "_**Everyone**_..."I slammed both of my hands hard onto the podium, the people standing besides me jolted. "**_Everyone_**... _please remember_.... even though Homare started this whole mess...._ even though it was her fault for dragging us down-_"

"-_ all of you would do the same thing_...."

"Huh?" I looked up, towards Shoma's direction. He tugged his jacket downwards as he said, "This critter understands what you're saying.... though the sword-bearer have selfish intents..... _but_ _without that intent, we would no longer exist, no?_"

"I.....have to agree with that...." Renma coughed. "If Homare stay true to her principles..... that wouldn't be worth anything once our limit is up, wouldn't it..... by holding back everyone's desire to kill.... that instead escalates our doom..."

"Remember what Monomyou said..." I continued from there on. "If no one died in three days, then we will all be dead by now...... _She was the first one who's determined to keep us alive_.... and with that time limit... I don't think she has any other choice..... and on top of that, the motive videos...... _**that's what truly enabled her**_...."

"Nyahahaha! No one can resist my perfectly filmed motive videos!!" Monomyou laughed. "It's a guaranteed _**despair-driven**_ film that will strike your heart no matter what!!"

I glared at the cat on its throne, "And we can't blame her for that.... we can't blame her for wanting to get out of here... more than anyone else.... because in the end, _**all of you would do that same thing**_..."

Again, with the silence, everyone looked at each other, worryingly. Even Hisao just watched over everyone, waiting for an answer. "_**But please**_....." I continued. "If you all still doubt her intentions.... then you all don't have to think that we're doing this for her...._ we just have to bring down the culprit who could have stopped this in the first place_.... _**let's end this trial for our own survival**_..."

In a desperate attempt to convince them, a plea if you could see it that way, and one by one, everyone lightened up.

"Sumi is right.... just because someone within our group betrayed our trust...." Hibiki nodded. "It doesn't mean we can back down on this now and admit defeat....."

"I still think this whole _'planning to murder us'_ just being a fluke but-!!" Hiroshi flashed a grin at me. "I'm gonna follow along with your belief instead!! Getting out victorious is much better than being screwed over here!!"

_'Ah, thank god....'_ I felt an overwhelming rush of relief once I saw them getting better. Slowly, I slid down and on my knees, trying to catch my breath from the tension before. Through the small opening of the podium, I gazed towards Hisao's direction, wondering, _'Why did he bring that up now...? He could have just said 'no' and we can continue where we left off..... he could have just told us after the trial....'_

_'Is this his way of trying to get everyone's mind rid off Homare's supposed innocence...? Or is it just another one of his tricks....' _I quickly pulled myself. Some questions should be left answered some other time. "I hope everyone remembered the sequence of event before all of that happened...."

"R-Right!!" Mitsuru exclaimed. "Homare potentially lured out a victim to the reception area to murder them but it backfired, right?"

"And so she ended up taking the hit..." Amane pondered. "But if your theory is correct and that it happened earlier before anyone of us are awake.... _then how do you explained **Nao's account** in finding her still in the bed?_"

"_Hey_..... I also have this thought that's been running in my mind lately....." Taiga shifted his eyes to his left, looking unsure of himself. "... When we first take down the body..... _**is it really true that it was the hanging that caused her death?**_"

"There's no other way, is there....?" said Hinako. "_It is the state that we found her in_... also, between the time of us leaving the room and entering the room, _30 minutes or more_ seems sufficient enough to be deemed deceased....."

"It's not **_the state she's found in_** that's bothering me....." Taiga corrected. "_Rather than **the state her body was in**_...."

"Care to explain that?" Renma prompted him to go on.

"Well... based from my own experience and self-defence classes..... I do have some knowledge how differentiate wounds and bruises....." Taiga explained. "But when I checked Homare's neck.... _**there's this weird red evenly lines that's on both sides**_..."

"Aren't those the _lines caused by that bloody towels_ or something??" Higura snorted. "I thought that would be obvious enough..."

"I thought so too but_ the way_ _the towels wrapped around her neck unevenly_....._the usage of towels for hanging even_..... and also _somehow managed to murder her by just hanging while she's dazed possibly with the wound_. The ceiling wasn't even that high to begin with and Homare could have easily stood on the bed nearby judging by their height... _yet_..." Taiga pointed out all the clue he found by himself and the more he listed, the more it makes sense. "_**Don't you think all of that could just be staged to throw us off?**_"

_'The culprit would have difficult time to set this whole thing up if Homare is still partially awake..... so the only possibility that they managed to do all that without a problem was....'_

........

"_**Homare didn't die from hanging**_......" My face just twitched at the image, "Rather she was most likely **_strangled to death_** after the culprit hit her with a blunt object, rendering her useless........and this also fits in **_Nao's account_**...."

"Now, if I'm following your thought process here...." said Hisao. "Then that means _by the time Nao and others wake up_.... _**she was already dead!**_ That means _Nao's group was sleeping with a corpse unknowingly the whole time!!_"

"_**What!?**_" Nao, Hinako and Machi exclaimed in shock, paled at the thought after all this time, they were in the same room with a dead body.

"The culprit critter... after committing the crime.... disposed the evidences.... tidy things up...." Shoma, once again, swaying from side-to-side as he spoke. "... _using the sword-bearer key card to get into the room and placed the body there on the bed_....."

"So when the culprit managed to placed her there... they would have to wait until the rest of you woke up-"

( _**ARGUED: Hanabusa Hinako**_ \- _"I cannot ignore such fruitless attempt!"_ \- )

* * *

"While I see your point in that statement of yours but _wouldn't that be too risky for the culprit to just placed her body in the same room as ours?_" Hinako cuts me off.

"Again, it's a possibility but I would like to hear your thoughts in it if you have some doubts...." I gulped, the last person who I wanted to argue against was Hinako and _here she is now with that menacing aura again_.

"I appreciate your kind gesture to let me interrupt.." Hinako giggled. "Now as I was saying, _placing a dead body in the room_ with multiple witnesses would be a _poor attempt to conceal a crime_. With the wound exposed, there would at least be _blood leaking out and staining the sheets_, we would have notice that, right?"

"The_ bloody towels_ that Machi brought up before answered that last point..." I replied. "And by the time you guys found her on that bed, _the wound would already be dried up_. Since she died from _asphyxiation_, wouldn't _the blood flow also stopped?_"

"I can't deny that possibility but even if you clean up the wound... wouldn't the room be filled with_** metallic smell** **that we could have noticed?**_"

**( CUT-IN! - _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

I took out the evidence that the medium have given to me earlier, "This was found by Renma during the investigation... and it's the closest I can get to answer your question...."

"A... _**alcohol swabs**_...?" Hinako's eyes widened. "From the kitchen medical kit..... "

"Those were found among the sheets of a messy bed...." Renma pointed out. "The culprit didn't bother to disposed them at all but then again, I could hardly see them until they fell off the bed when we tried to take down the body......."

"They were definitely used to clean up the wound and potentially the blood off...." With my gloved hand, I tried to pick up the _**flakes **_that still remained on the swabs. "Because of these_ little things were also found on the wound_....."

"Yeah about that...." Taiga nervously called out. "What are those things even....? Those _greenish stuffs_ were scattered everywhere when Renma picked that up...."

_'Green flakes that has a strong scent once mixed with alcohol.... there could only be one thing that causes that kind of effect....'_

_....._

  
"Macchan... I think we found the answer to your missing tea bags question...." I folded the swab and put it back into my pocket. "The flakes must have been the **_missing herbal tea bags_** you're looking for...."

_"Wait, that's what they're used for!?"_

"And for it to still be in the same room as the corpse...." I tried to piece together the image. "Then may I ask you three this, _was the body facing the ceiling when you last saw it?_"

"Y-Yeah...." Machi muttered. "She was facing upwards when she ummm.... _sleeping_"

"Then the _**alcohol swab **_was used to cover the wound underneath wound, hidden between the head and the pillow while also pressing the herbal tea bag against it.... _and whatever those flakes were_... it was probably used to disguised the smell as well-"

"Ah- _Ahhhhhhhhh!_ Hold on!" Nao suddenly screamed, not in terror but it made everyone else jump. "What was the herb used in this scenario?! Macchan, do you know it?! Do you know what kind of tea it was?!"

"A-Ah um...." Maccha was surprised by the ghostwriter's sudden outburst. "It was.... _**chamomile**_.. why..?"

"What the fuck, shorty...?" Higura, oddly concerned, stared at the ghostwriter. "What's with the sudden yelling...? Did something possessed you or something to make you scream like a banshee??"

"N-Nao...?" I tried to get the short girl's attention but she looked like she's thinking really hard about the said herbs. "D-Did you remembered something or...?"

"_Just as I expected!_" Nao nodded confidently as she has her serious expression on. "The culprit may have also try to use them to _lessen the blood loss!!!_"

"_Blood.... loss?_"

"I had a hand in some remedy expert's findings about herbal tea being a natural remedy.... _chamomile is one of the herbs that could also be used to heal wounds!!_" said Nao. "As another fact, _chamomile is also used for aromatherapy!!_ It's part of my work as well to research stuffs like this!"

"But then... wouldn't that be ineffective towards... _corpses_...?" Hinako asked. "It's possible that _the strangulation happened right before the culprit even bother to clean up the wound_....."

"O-Oh right!!!" Nao slowly retreated. "J-Just adding in my knowledge in this topic...."

"Nope! It's pretty helpful, little miss the second!!" said Hisao. "_Because that fact significantly lessens the list of suspect we all have in mind!_ Now we gotta solve the rest of the mysteries!!"

_"It did?"_

"Sure as hell it did!!" Hisao pumped his fist up. "It proves that whoever the culprit is have a rather _specific knowledge on how to treat wounds in their daily life!"_

_"Someone with a scientific background, you mean....?" _And then_ I froze_, wherever Hisao is going with this. _I don't like it_. Because the people he suspected... _would be too tough to crack. But if he's gonna turned this trial towards that direction where we start accusing those people......_

_...... Then I better take control of this trial before he does!_

**[ _Class Trial - INTERMISSION -_ ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ REPORT CARD ]  
-  
[ Name ] Mochizuki Higura  
[ Title ] Ultimate Graphic Designer  
[ Height ] 165 cm  
[ Weight ] 57 kg  
[ Chest ] 40 cm  
[ Blood Type ] B  
[ D.O.B ] 16th September  
[ Likes ] Watercolour Paintings And Dragon Fruits  
[ Dislikes ] Impatient People And Scammers  
-
> 
> Sumire: Yeah!! My group will surely be helpful in this one!!  
Hisao : -did that-  
Sumire: What the fuck


	7. Chapter I: Riot of Flowers: Deadly Life - Trial II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With suspect possibly identified, now they have to convinced the culprit to admit their crime without backing down.  
After the trial, another piece of information came from a slip of the tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have a tumblr that's barren but will post any drawing of the charas so if anyone wants to ask me about Sumire and others, here's the link!  
[ https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/ ]

[ **_Class Trial - RESUMED -_** ]

"_Whaaaaaaat a shocker!!!"_ Monomyou excitedly shouted. "To find out our lovely guests has been sleeping with a corpse this whole time!!! _How cruel!! How putrid!! How exhilarating!_! I wonder how, _I wonder how!!_ Will our lovely guests find out who would do such a daring move!? Will they smoked out the culprit!? _**Let us proceed with high curiosity!!**_"

"So we got the clear picture of how the culprit set up that bedroom scene! Little miss, you may go on with your next point!!"

I eyed on the conman carefully as I went on, "The next thing I want to know about is _what everyone's doing during morning time, before the announcement go off_..."

"Not much...." Saku replied first. "_The usual_.... after _Hinako and Shoma served us breakfast, _everyone had a chat, Gura said something lewd and I hit him..."

"Yeah... _the usual_....." Higura grumbled along, rubbing what seem to be reddish sore spot on his forehead now that I looked at it closely, at least it's not a lie. 

"_I_ _excused myself to use the toilet in my own room_ since the ground floor plumbing system is under repairs..." said Hinako. "Shoma and Renma were... '_meditating'_... at the corner of the dining hall..."

"Hibiki and I were planning_ to go swimming!!_" said Kiharu. "But we were on our way there right when we heard the announcement!"

"_I went to check some books I borrowed from the library in my own room_... checking out their serial numbers and all..." exclaimed Machi. "_Nao was with me before she went to get her ElectroID since she borrowed some books too_..."

"And I was playing around with those automaton soldiers outside!" Hisao grinned. "It's been a while since I had a good exercise!!"

"That.... Yes, Kiharu and I did see you _do that_, Hisao...." Hibiki sighed. "_You sure have a death wish_....."

"Well, I can't just go sitting around and doing nothing, I wanna do something useful too...." Hisao pouted. "So, that's all the morning events sorted!!"

Again, _Nao's group have the most suspicious alibi_, going their separate ways. If that's the case, then I would have to eliminate some evidences we found first, "_Keep everyone's placement in mind_....** _let's discuss how the culprit got away_**...."

"Right.... _it was locked from the inside_.... we did saw you trying to pry open it...." Taiga pointed out. "... But why would the culprit do that though...? Were they trying not to get caught?"

"Perhaps.... _and maybe staging the hanging would also make us think that it was a suicide move_...." said Higura. "I would have a hard fucking time to believe the culprit would be that much of an idiot to just leave the body lying down in open like that....."

"Because of that scene, we have diverge from the main focus of the trial, rather than trying to find the culprit...." Renma tapped his finger against his cheek. "The culprit both want to mislead us and possibly turn this trial around so that we purposely vote wrongfully...."

"Hey, is it possible to vote for someone who committed suicide since... well... they would be considered the '_blackened'_ one...?" Kiharu asked.

"_Ahemm-hmmmm, hmn!_ _Nyargh_-!!! I bit my tongue!!!" Monomyou fell back in its seat after coughing several times. "That kind of scenario were often handled differently by other hosts so for your adorable host's view, _a **substitute** will be punished instead, the reason for their death!!_"

"Substitute...? Like_ wha-_"

"_It doesn't matter and it will never happened_..." Hisao cuts off the composer's sentence. "We're getting side-tracked as usual. Wow, you guys sure are useless without darling little miss here holding your hands! Maybe some of you should sit out most of the trial if you're gonna ask all these useless questions!!"

"H-Hey!! You're the one who's trying to take our mind off of this trial with that notebook clue of yours!!!" Mitsuru pointed out, accusingly. "Besides!! Why are you giving Sumi those creepy nicknames?! Is there some secret relationship you guys had without us knowing!?"

"Ergh, _ew_, I'm not interested in some_ too-serious-for-everyone's-sake_ kind of person, I wanna have my own freedom, you know? I'm not gonna settle with some robot with a ticking heart." Okay, he went too far, even as a joke and the conman knew that. He smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes back at him. "And like I've said... **_we're being side-tracked here_**..."

"The question about.... the critter culprit got away......" Shoma pondered, tugging at his shell head. "Is there_ a secret entry_ the critter culprit could have gone.....?"

"Maybe they were _hiding in the closet_ and got out once everyone arrived at scene!" said Saku.

_'No, that's not it. I'm sure the answer is clearly there, right in front of our eyes.....'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"The critter culprit must have escaped through a _secret entryway_....!" said Shoma.

"The_wall between rooms are not that wide_...." Amane corrected. "I failed to see a _secret room trick_ would have a place in this...."

"Could the culprit be_ hiding in the bathroom_ or even_the closet_ at some point...?" Saku asked. "Until everyone else is there...?"

"Nah, you're all wrong!!" Hiroshi shouted. "The culprit must have escaped _**through the windows and scaled down the hotel walls!!** _That's how they did it!"

"If it's that obvious then we could have seen that as_ we were outside when it happened_....." Hibiki shot his words down.

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

"I don't think so..." I explained, "... while you're correct they escaped through a window.... but it's a rather smaller one they used...."

"So... I'm half-right and half-wrong....?" Hiroshi sound confused. "I don't really get it but what kind of '_smaller window_ 'are you talking about?"

"Do you all remember **_the chair near the front door?_** Near the door _that was locked from the inside_..." I recalled back the moment when I sneaked Nao into the room. "_**The culprit escaped through the window panel above the door, using the chair as support**_...."

"Wait!! I remembered that!!!" Taiga snapped his fingers. "Nao knocked that chair over when you guys did the same thing!! That was bugging me for some reason!!"

"I-It was upright before I knocked it over...." Nao nervously laughed. "So.. that one is perfectly solved....."

"I supposed the culprit couldn't placed the chair anywhere else after escaping. Prioritizing the chair placement is slim in trying to escape from the crime undetected....." said Renma. "So they leave it be...."

"So we got _the beginning_ and _the end_ solved...." Machi pointed. "But what's troublesome is the gap we can't solved.... **_the middle part_**......"

That's true, even I can't figured that part out. "Everyone's scattered around so it's hard to pinpoint who might even have any solid alibi-"

_ **"I say we should just accused Homare's precious roommates first..."** _

_ _

"**Huh!?**" Nao, Machi and Hinako all was shocked by the sudden statement. I'm sure everyone else also felt that sudden jab from nowhere._ Lo' and behold_, by himself, Hisao finally make the move I was afraid he would do.

"_Come on, don't act all surprised_...." Hisao sighed. "Everyone is at least suspicious that her roommates somehow acted like nothing's even happening within their group...... Nao, you're on clear duty and also, you've been sticking to the librarian's side the whole morning so he's on clear duty too.... _**but Hinako on the other hand**_...."

"_I-I beg your pardon_...?" It doesn't sound like she asking for a repeat of what he said, it's more like she wanted Hisao to go on with his explanation.

"_It's too sus that you went ahead alone while the others didn't think too much about it_....." said Hisao with a smile. "Which got me thinking... _did you really go to your room after that_...? Or did you go ahead to the crime scene and staged everything?"

"T-That's preposterous!!!" Machi yelled. "We were on the same elevator!!! We were on the same floor!!"

"Oh, but did you saw her left the room after you've gone to yours? Any confirmation on that.....?"

"She's not the killer!!!" Nao squeaked out, desperate to defend the behaviorist. "She would never kill anyone!! She's always so kind and helpful!! She doesn't want anyone to die either!!!"

Hisao's face darkened, "_**Just because someone's kind, it doesn't mean they would never kill**_........ also explain this....." He pulled out something from under his jacket, once he unfolded it; _it was the bloodied white coat that Saku found at the reception area_. "I'm sure no one is aware of this but _has everyone checked their closets in their own room?_"

"Huh... _closets_...." My eyes wandered on the sleeves of the jacket I'm wearing, "Mine has a winter jacket that I'm wearing right now...."

"Oh! That's good!!" Hisao exclaimed. "Now check the cuffs on the sleeves, there should be a tag inside of it!!"

_A tag...?_ Sure enough, I found the said small tag he was talking about, sewed near the cuff area. _'It's my room number..? Wait, that means-'_

_"Ding, ding, ding!!!" _Hisao imitated a winning bell noise as he pulled the tag from the coat's cuffs, "Each room has their own jackets and coats provided by our wonderful host!! And this coat here.... _**has Hinako's room number on it**_...."

Hinako's face immediately lost it color after hearing that, making her looking a lot more guilty than innocent, stammering, "S-Surely.. there's a mistake.... I have never seen that coat before.."

"Aww..... Hinako is a bad liar as well...." Hisao smirked. "I really hate liars... _especially those who are bad at it_....."

"**No!!**" Hinako yelled. "It's just a mere coincidence!! There's no evidence that I could have been the killer!!"

"T-That's right!!!" Machi backed her up. "You're accusing her on baseless facts!!"

"I wanna believe Hinako...." Nao muttered. "I wanna believe in her!"

"_There's no prove I'm the killer / she's the killer!!_" Three sentence meshed together into one-powerful sounding sentence. Hisao doesn't look like he can argue with three people at once. He's jumping into some serious territory here but... _there's something about what he said could possibly be **true**_. _If he's trying to prove something with Hinako being the main suspect, then..... I must find the contradiction here!_

* * *

**( Mass Panic Debate )**

"All of this could have done by anyone who's skilled enough!!!" (**Hinako**)

"Hinako have _no reason to murder Homare!!_" (**Machi**)

"We were all together _during nighttime!!_" (**Nao**)

—

"_I was with everyone during morning time_ as well!!" (**Hinako**)

"With_ only that evidence_, it's _too far-fetched_ to pinned it on her!!" (**Machi**)

"_Even though we didn't realise it_..." (**Nao**)

—

"There's _**no other evidences**_ **_that even has my involvement!!!_**" (**Hinako**)

"_You've got the wrong person!!_" (**Machi**)

"_There's no way Hinako sneaked past us!!_" (**Nao**)

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

"Is _**the kitchen roster**_ the reason why you're suspecting Hinako..... Mafuyu...?" If there's any evidence that stood out the most, it's _**the kitchen roster**_ that was created on the first day. Two people will be in charge meal-prepping and the keys to the kitchen has to be given to one of those two said people. "Shoma has an alibi during the morning with Renma... and _Hinako was_...."

"_She left the room_...." Hisao whistled. "While everyone's getting rowdy, she took the chance to make up some excuse to go set up the crime... _getting something she needed from her own bedroom first_....."

_'Something she needed from her own room? The only evidence that might came from individual rooms was.....'_

"_**The bloody towels you used to hang Homare**_....." I gasped out. "... The reason why those towels wouldn't belong to the third floor bedrooms.... was because they came from your own bedroom...... _you hid them there before heading towards the third floor_....."

"_Right_...." Saku speak up, slowly. "I remembered something important now.... the key both Gura and I had when it was our turn yesterday.... we gave them to _**Hinako during that evening meeting**_....."

"I said,_ it's just a mere coincidence_...." Hinako starting to get really furious at us. "_There's no other evidences that proves I was the killer_...."

_'There is something else.... something that maybe only her would knew.... to get her to keep talking. I have to carefully listen to what she said!'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"_What other evidences that points to me being the killer exactly?!_" Hinako snapped.

"Is it the _alcohol swabs being stolen from the medical kit?_"

"Why does _the kitchen roster_ could possibly be the most important clue here in this trial!?"

"Is it because tools there stood up the most? _The knives? **The damp rolling pin**? It could have been any other tools in that kitchen!_"

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

".... _That's really specific for you to say about a **rolling pin** which stood out the most_..." I interjected. "_And how did you know it was a **damp** at that time_...? The only people who knew about that was _Shoma, Nao and Higura_...."

"Aaaand there you go, a clear cut answer!!" Hisao clapped. "Wow, you seriously landed yourself in your own trap there! Of course, you have yourself to blame once you mentioned the bathroom problem and the rolling pin._ You basically doomed yourself for revealing those stuffs to us!_"

Just like that, her furious expression morphed into something with terror. _A horrified look on her face. It's over. She has been caught_.

"Nao.... Macchan..... are you two convinced now....? Please do think about it...." I asked to her previous defendants. They both looked each other, still trying to accept the slip-up being the truth and finally nodded as they made their decision. "... _Before everyone voted_.... I wanna go over this case one more time, starting from the beginning...."

* * *

**( Closing Argument )**

"The plan was set in motion when Homare decided to plan a sleepover in order to lessen any witnesses around to see her commit a crime. After Hisao rejected her request, she went after the culprit... _who will end her plan prematurely. _The culprit had time preparing all the things before Homare announced the plan to the group..."

"Early morning, the culprit went to take _the towels from their own room_ and _the rolling pin from the kitchen_, waiting for Homare to arrive near the reception area. And once she did, the culprit _struck her from behind_, _staining the floor_ and _the coat they're wearing_."

"Wasting no time to panic, the culprit threw away t_he coat into the trash behind behind the reception desk_, went ahead to use kitchen's medical kit to get _the alcohol swabs and the herbal tea bags_. The culprit used the towels to put pressure on the wound until it stopped bleeding, clean it up and pressed the tea bags against it, _mixing it with the alcohol swab to disguise the metallic smell as they cleaned up the scene_...."

"The culprit momentarily hid the said _bloody towels_ in their room before heading towards their group's room and cleaning any leftover stains in the elevator room. Carefully placing the body on the bed with swab still pressed against the head, they make sure the wound and swab could be barely seen, hiding using the pillow supporting the head. From there on, _the culprit just need to play pretend_...."

"Convincing to leave someone behind unguarded, the culprit decided to finish the job, _to not let anything traced back to them_. They proceed to get the _bloody towels back from their room_ and _staged an elaborate scene_ that would mislead us all, _carelessly discarding the alcohol swab on the bed_. Locking the door from the inside while escaping through window panel above the door, they joined the rest of the group in the dining hall.... waiting for anyone to discover the body.

"_**That's the true story you've been keeping from us, Hanabusa Hinako, the Ultimate Animal Behaviorist!**_"

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

_Silence_.... the whole room became silent as we watched carefully how Hinako just stood still, looking all over us. Her eyes seems to have a tint of _regret_ in them. In the end, she chose not to fight back, not to refute and that's her way of surrendering. It should have been a satisfying conclusion for all of us, yet it left a bitter taste in my mouth instead. _Why?_

"Hoooo, boy!!! Never had _two smartasses_ working on the case together!!" Monomyou exclaimed loudly. "Now then, it's time for the long-awaiting and possibly the most satisfying part of the trial!! _**It's Voting Time!!!!**_"

A panel was suddenly shot upwards in front of us, showing the pixel-ated head icons of everyone, saving for Homare who was grayed out. Some have already voted as the panel immediately vanished from their sight while some hesitated to even vote but did it regardless. _'As much as I don't want to this but..... all those effort will go to waste if I don't vote....'_ I pressed onto Hinako's icon and the panel retracted.

A big monitor suddenly appear behind Monomyou's throne, showing a roulette system with our faces on it. The arrow quickly spun around in clockwise fashion before it landed on _**Hanabusa Hinako**_, and the bright neon light of the words perfectly described her current situation, _'**GUILTY**'_

"Woooohooo!!" Monomyou jumped from its throne to join the rest. "I was on the edge of my seat this entire time!!! I never had two smartasses joining forces to solve a trial!! Usually, it's only one smartass doing to the job piecing together the mystery!!!"

While Monomyou paraded around, Nao stepped forward, ".... Hinako... why...? Did you really kill her.... just like that.....?"

With not a lot of energy left, she bitter laughed, "... _I tried to convinced her_...."

_'Huh..?'_

"_I tried to convinced her_... that murdering anyone else wouldn't be the only solution...." said Hinako. "It's because I overheard her conversation with Hisao..... and saw what she has written on that damned notebook......"

"You put two and two together....." I muttered. "_And you realized she was planning a murder_..... and you tried to stop her but...."

"She was stubborn, I will give you that...." Hinako think fondly of the said fencer. "But she's also has so much pride in her family name that she's willing to tarnish her own hands just so she could defend it... _like her life depends on it_... _She doesn't want her family line to end with her_...."

"Ah yes, _family_...." Monomyou chuckles. "The most easiest target to rile people up!! It's easy to break that cool facade of that fencer!! Saying her parents doesn't care.... _when she obviously does!!!_ Geez, what a poor quality tough character that she is!!"

"And I admit, I admired that side of hers.... doing whatever she can for her family...." said Hinako. "But.... it's '_one death against multiple deaths'_ situation..... As much as I don't want to do it.... she wasn't in the right mind to be reasoned with at that time so I-....Ahahaha, _this is why I hate dealing with human beings' problem_..."

"_It's either us or her_....." Machi nodded, understanding what Hinako must have been going through. "... You try to take matters in your own hands yet... _you escalated it into a more absurd approach_.... an approach that you will sure regret....."

"Even in the end, I tried to defend myself.....I panicked, cleaning everything and acted like nothing had happened.... as if I'm not the cause of it...." she snorted. "I was almost disgusted with myself.... trying to defend a murder.... but I'm glad all of you made the right choice.... _Sumi, I'm glad you've lead everyone into a safer heaven_...."

My hands clenched into a tight fist, _was I happy with this result? No, of course not_. In the end, Hinako was trying to protect us from Homare, _even with selfish intents_, who wanted to survive to see her family again. _In the end, who's the real culprit here? Monomyou? That's logical right?_

"Homare..... _talked rather fondly of you_...." said Hinako. "Both of you are like two peas in a pod.... she did think twice about her escape plan when she thought about you......_ You were her first friend and she's glad that she met you_.... And I'm glad to meet you all as well even for a short period of time...._ please escape from the hellish place_...."

"_We will_...." Nao's already breaking down into tears as Machi comforted her. The others tried to hold back their tears while Hisao and Renma remained stoic most of the time. Hinako ushered me close, holding my hand as she places her small white rabbit pin that she used on her clothes as a decor, "_A memento... from me to you_.... _don't go astray, little rabbit_....."

"Alright, alright!! Enough with this sappy shit!!" Monomyou called out for our attention. "I've prepared something special for_**the Ultimate Behaviorist, Hanabusa Hinako**!!_ _Ladies and Gentlemen, strapped yourself back!!! _The exciting moment we've all been waitin' for!! _**It's Punishment Time**!!!_" Monomyou pulled down the curtain and revealed a big monitor of a sprite version of them dragging along Hinako's sprite and the lettering above them reads out;

**[ HANABUSA HINAKO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY! ]**

**[ LET US COMMENCE THEIR PUNISHMENT!! ]**

Out of our sight, a collar with a chain snapped onto Hinako's neck and pulled her back into the room we've never seen opened before, her face twisted in horror once she realized what was going to happened to her.

* * *

[ **_Ultimate Animal Behaviourist, Hanabusa Hinako's Execution_** ]

[ _Pavlov's Execution Theory_ ]

The chain dropped Hinako in the middle of an empty white room, reminiscing a veterinarian room, the collar still attached to her neck. She trail along the chain to see it was connected by the hook on the ceiling as it continue to trail along the floor.... and attached to the collar of what she assumed to be a huge robotic dog.

Monomyou appeared in their medical scrub, holding a bell. They ring the bell once and the robotic dog reacted quickly, immediately leap towards them but not too close, salivating. The sudden movement caused the chain to lift Hinako's higher by the collar, slowly suffocating her. The more times Monomyou ring the bell, the more excited and active the dog is, causing the chain to be pulled every so tightly as the behaviorist desperately clawed at the collar around her neck till it bleeds.

Nearly running out of oxygen, Monomyou threw a bone at the Hinako's direction and into the air, _near her body_. The robotic dog, with its gnarling teeth and large mouth, bite onto both the bone and Hinako, _crushing the body and snapping it in half_. Tearing through the the skin and bones, the crushing and snapping noises continued to the echo in the room.

* * *

We were all watching it happened in real-time.

I can almost feel the bile rising up in my throat. _Vile, putrid_, that's the only thing I could described this. I found myself hugging my own body, feeling the shiver every time I hear the noise... _those crunching noises_. "_Sumi_...." Shoma calling out to me and rubbed circles behind my back, however that simple action isn't enough to distract me from those horrifying noises. 

Everyone's eyes glued onto the monitor showing the said punishment, all horrified at the sight of it. Mitsuru's knees trembling as she fell onto it, Nao's speechless cries, Renma's constant chanting yet stuttering at the same time and Higura's loud noises of denial to drown out the noises. _Everyone was thoroughly distraught by it_.

"The execution has been a tremendous success!!!" Monomyou dropped down in the middle of the group, with their booming voice as they laughed at the wrecked group, "I will admit, I will admit!! You solved the mystery way too quickly!! You are all gifted with two geniuses so better not waste them!!! _Ya better entertain your host with a more exciting class trial soon in return!!!_"

_'Another class trial....?'_ How are they so confident that it will happened again? After what we witnessed, I don't think anyone, I mean **_anyone_**, want to suffer the same fate Hinako and Homare have to go through. Yet, I have to doubt that thought once again. As long as Monomyou keep on tormenting us, teasing us with a small hope of escaping, _we shouldn't let anyone be fooled by it ever again_. 

* * *

It was evening by the time we get back to the hotel, _the now silent and soulless hotel_. Everyone retreated to their own rooms, doesn't even want to be bothered by anything else. However, I stayed back, heading my way to the bar area where it's still quiet and the camera seems to still be under repairs. The same place where we gathered to discuss our escape plan, _where we swear no one will die_. And yet, we let two people come and go just like that. 

Sitting by the booth area, I just stayed there in silence, as my thoughts runs wild. 

'_If this goes on.... if this class trials goes on_.....' Tapping onto my leg the more I think about this killing game, '... _There would be no one else left.... there's no way anyone... or even one of us would want to accept that victory_....' "_If we actually escaped_...."

"_**You mean when we actually escaped**_...."

I sighed heavily, resting my head onto my folded arms on the table, "You're such a stalker, you know that right?"

"Said the person who always went out of everyone's sight...." Hisao shot back, sitting right across mine. "Well, it seems your very first class trial proves to be such a huge success. Another victory, another day!"

"..... _Why would you say that_....." I'm now pissed off by his free-spirited attitude, I wouldn't mind it some other times, but _now? Now he want to joke around after what happened?_ "Why would you even say that as if Hinako wasn't part of our group? She wanted to escape just as much as anybody else.... _are you that happy to see someone died terribly_...?"

"You're talking to a person who sees this shit all the time...." said Hisao, not minding my anger towards him. "_People have dreams and they died for it_, it's not rocket science. _And people like Homare and Hinako made sacrifices that aren't even necessary_..."

"_**So you're saying their lives doesn't matter!?**_" I stood up, hands slamming against the table as I shouted at the conman. "_Wasn't it **your plan** that sets them off?! Wasn't it **you** who decided you will save everyone like **some wannabe-martyr**!?_"

Hisao doesn't flinched at my outburst, in fact, he still remained stoic, like most of the time. That's one thing I don't understand, he can perfectly masked his emotions so well that even I couldn't see pass through him. 

He stood up to my level, "_I never said I will guaranteed everyone's lives will be saved_. Monomyou kept this place's security in their tight grip for me to make a possible dent, which is why I required everyone's cooperation....... if Hinako didn't act irrationally, _she and Homare would have been safe_...."

".... _What_...._wait_..." I stepped backwards, away from the conman, processing what he have just said. "..... _You knew_...... _you knew about it from the beginning_...."

"Hinako believes in justice but that justice she's trying to prove is beyond everyone's view.... I tried saying that to her but she won't listen. Ironic, huh? Calling someone else's stubborn when she's also one....." said Hisao. "In the end, she hurt a lot of people, including yourself. _When that mental wound is made, it's that cat's turn to dig it further down, making them all vulnerable._ One person's action affects everyone and the other takes advantage of it. I'm sure_ someone like you_ would understand how that usually goes...."

_Someone like me, a recluse who doesn't want to deal with other people's problem_. That _'me'_ who immediately was eradicated once I met these people. The people I considered to be my _friends _at this point, was that my mistake? If I don't think twice about them,_ will I be fine?_ "_Why do you always say like you know how everyone will act....?_"

"Oh.... _**I just knew**_..... _so memorized this by each words, Hoshino Sumire_..."

Hisao brought his finger to his lips, with his expressionless face he said, "_Don't be surprised when I don't act like what you all expected me to_. I stand on a neutral line and my only wish here is to escape this hellscape. _I can help you_, **_Sumire_**, _but that doesn't mean I'm obliged to save you all_. _**So let met cast this curse upon you that I found while I was doing my own thing**_...."

He slowly approached me as I suppressed the urge to run away, he's been acting so eerily to the point it's not even treated as an act or joke. Hisao knew a lot more than what I bargained for, _and he knew what's going on behind the scene_. I can feel his steady breathing next to my ear....

"_There's **a fake** in our group.... someone who shouldn't be in the killing game with us.....working for the **mastermind who controls Monomyou**_...."

"_The mastermind_....?"

That's too crucial to glossed over, _the mastermind behind the killing game_. And somehow, Hisao knew this while we weren't paying attention. But, _**a fake?**_ _Someone who shouldn't be with us? An extra player in this game?_

"_Be_ c_areful of who you made friends and enemies with... **or else**_...." He pulled away, not noticing how his right leg was behind mine as he proceed to knock me off, making me landed on the floor with a resounding thud. "... _They will pull the rug underneath you__ and you will regret trusting anyone in this killing game_...."

I was too stunned to even say back, all of this is just too much for me to process. Hisao seem to finally be satisfied getting his revenge for getting outed during the class trial, "Oh well, serious time is over!! It's been a while since I played the bad guy in a situation like this!!! I hope you really take my words seriously by now!! That bad-talking just now when you put me in the spotlight really gets me and that really pissed me off!! So, I decided to end that trial prematurely!! Hope you don't mind me cutting off your fun!"

".... Yeah.... I guess...." I muttered under my breath.

"Hmmmm.... so what are you gonna do now?" Hisao kneels down, his tone shifted into something childish. "You said you want out once one of us went out of the line and Hinako did!! And from what I know, her actions are usually justifiable from an outsider's viewpoint! _So what's your answer?_"

.....

"_I will stay_...." I replied without thinking, it was a quick answer but I don't think it's wrong to say or admit it. "If we can't escape then the best we can do is _**expose who's behind this killing game**_..... _and I'm sure that's what your new aim right now... am I wrong?_"

Hisao smiled, the same childlike smile he showed during the entirety of the trial, "Yup!! Two minds think alike!!! Geez!! That's sooo creepy! Could we possibly be twins separated at birth!?" 

"I really don't want to be associated with your way of thinking...." I grumbled. The conman stood upright and put out his hand, which I accept his attempt to help me stand up. In the end, _I trusted his judgement and words_."... Also, if you ever messed something up like that again...... then I would not hesitate to beat you up, _Sao-chin_..."

"Huh.....? _Huuuuh? Sao-chin!??!_" Hisao faked gasped. "Are we at that level already!? _Are we finally giving each other ridiculous pet names!?_ But that's soooo lame!! Why would you call me that!?"

"That's your punishment from now on for being such a dick...." I puffed out my chest in retaliation, trying to get onto his level of annoyance. "From now on, _you're known as Sao-chin, the most childish trickster in the group!!_ If you don't want such embarrassment to get to you, then you better stop with those jabs you threw at me during the trial!!"

"Ergh.... so your looks just screams strict but your mind is just filled with cotton candies and plushies...... that's such a fucking whiplash that I didn't see it coming......" Hisao sighed. "At least it's a nicer contrast to _'dear little miss'_....."

I let out a small chuckle, honestly, the evening is filled with mixed emotions. _The daunting realization that Hisao knew about Hinako's plan, the shocking reveal of the said fake and the childish nature of two people fighting over some nicknames_. Even though Hisao treated everything as if it's a game to him, he's not entirely heartless. It's clear to see he's dragging along that playful side of his _just because_._'One of these days.... he will outshine me, thanks to his charisma....'_

_"Sao-chin...." _The nickname does sounds nice once you got used to saying it multiple times, even though I came up with it in the last minute. ".... I know you're hiding a lot of things from us.... but you're the type who wants to everyone to solve your puzzles and riddles..... **_because that's just what you are_**...._ I wonder when will that time come when you decided you will be honest with us?"_

_"_That......" He trailed off._ "_... that will take a very long, long time. And like you're the one to say that!! You too were never honest with everyone else.... _you also have stuffs you hid behind everyone's back!_ One of these days, I will be the one ending up exposing you in front of everyone in a dire situation!!"

.......

..........

** _ <strike>He's not wrong....</strike> _ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Hanabusa Hinako  
[ Title ] Ultimate Animal Behaviorist  
[ Height ] 170 cm  
[ Weight ] 56 kg  
[ Chest ] 50 cm  
[ Blood Type ] AB  
[ D.O.B ] 11th April  
[ Likes ] Obedient People And Nature Documentaries  
[ Dislikes ] Boring TV Shows
> 
> \----------------
> 
> It's clear to see how much fun I had writing Hisao while also expressing Sumire's extreme tiredness towards his attitude.


	8. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Daily Life I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the first class trial, Sumi still feel awry from previous events. Not wasting anymore time, multiple areas have opened up for the group to explore and certain people made use of said location to relieve some tension.  
Monomyou then appeared to give them a gift for surviving their first class trial.

_"**Hanabusa Hinako**.... and **Takara Homare**...."_

_"The kind yet **menacing**..... the **strict** yet heartwarming.... you have a way with selecting people..."_

_"Does it bother you that much?"_

_"No... but these two...."_

_"The crowd needs a **leader **and the group needs a **mediator**......"_

_"........"_

_"You're a cruel faceless monster...... you know that right?"_

_"I didn't say anything......"_

_"Nyahaha! You have your way with words... but yet again, you're too easy to read and it's getting really boring to see you like this.... try and think a more suitable role for yourself or else you will be discarded all too easily!"_

* * *

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement after the exciting event from yesterday!! Wooohooo, I still feel all tingly with the leftover adrenaline from that class trial!! And I'm sure everyone also feel the same!!"_

_"I would like to announced that several areas, that were off-limit before, are now opened for exploration!!! Be at your tippity-top best and have fun!! Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

The PA system finally shuts off after that annoying cat's speech. I woke up earlier this time, just so my ears wouldn't be greeted with the unholy screeching voice of Monomyou. We all returned to our rooms on the second floor, _alone from evening till morning_. I keep staring at my front door, fidgeting with my ElectroID in my hands, _'That talk with Hisao last night really exhaust me... I've spent all night thinking about what he told me instead.....'_

_"There's a **fake **in our group....."_

"_**Fake**_... what _**fake **_is he even referring to?" _Fake identity? Fake talent? Fake personality?_ It could be any of those things and Hisao is probably the only person who knew, keeping it to himself. He's not referring to the _survival group_ but everyone as a whole. _With this information, what is he going to do next...? And how did he even know this? Where did he even get it?_

_ **Ding dong! Ding dong!!** _

The doorbell was rung repeatedly without giving it a break, making me immediately get off the bed and answer it before the person could potentially break it. "I'm coming...." I called out before opening the door and was surprised to see Higura standing there. "O-Oh..._ Gura_...."

"Who said you can use that lame-ass nickname?" he growled. "The airborne bonehead won't stop bothering me so I'm here to get your ass to the dining hall......"

"Oh, was I the only one not there...?" Earning a nod as confirmation, I closed the door behind and locked it. "Then, we should get going. I'm sorry, I was idling around....."

Higura doesn't waste anytime, not up for a small talk or anything as we both made our way quietly to the elevator shaft. Once we selected the floor, I realized how the elevator have a more pleasant floral scent currently occupying the air, leaving my head to wander again, _'What happened to the second floor room bedrooms....? Is she still......'_

"The spiritfucker checked the bedrooms we've stayed a night ago...." Higura started suddenly. "He wants to cleanse the room or whatever shit he's messing with.... _everything was cleaned up, tidied, spotless like hell never break loose in there_....."

"So the body...."

"_Who the fuck knows_....." Higura exited first once the elevators doors opened. Staggering behind him, we both entered the dining hall as he announces, "_Got our savior here!!! Go ahead and kiss her ass!!_"

Something flew by but the graphic designer managed to dodged it on time. I take the seat next to Saku, seeing how Higura now sits with Nao and Amane. _The three people I would have never seen interacting._

"Good morning, Sumi....." Saku smiled, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Did you sleep well...?"

_'Sleeping well'_ has becoming more of a challenge to me and not what should be a natural thing to do. "I stayed up till midnight thinking about.... _stuffs_...... I would have stayed in my room a lot more doing that if you didn't send Gura to get me..."

"Huh...?" Saku raised an eyebrow. "I didn't do that....? He left on his own."

_Oh_. So Higura was..... _worried about me?_ Somehow? I guess he is more than a potty-mouth, maybe Renma's comment about him being a sweet guy might be true after all. Speaking of said medium, I looked around to look for but instead seeing that they aren't many people present at all. Saku mentioned that Renma and Hibiki prepared breakfast with porridge (something easy to digest after the yesterday's _horror_) and left a few moments ago. Taiga, Hiroshi, Kiharu, Shoma, Hisao and Mitsuru also appears to be missing.

"I think they were exploring the new areas that Monomyou mentioned....." said Machi. "If I recalled, it was two places..... the _gymnasium _and the-"

Loud, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway from the reception room to the dining hall, getting closer and closer before the person burst into the hall, sweating and panting. Kiharu looked really pale and out of breath from clearly running, "_G-Guys.... Taiga.... and Hisao-!! Trouble-!! At gym!!_"

_'Those two!?'_ I immediately get up and left my seat, leaving my meal half-eaten. A path was cleared up near the library so I took my guess that it's the way to the said gymnasium. Never skipping a beat, I whizzed past by the eyes of the automaton soldiers as I drastically opened the doors once I got there, "What's going on!?"

"Ah.... _Sumi_...." Renma stared wide-eyed at me, leaning against the wall of the gym. I almost didn't see him if he hadn't grabbed me by my wrist, pulling me in, "It's best not to stand right there..... it's too dangerous here....."

"Standing _why_-" A shot rang out and out of instinct, I whipped around and grabbed onto my holster on my belt.... _or where the holster should be _but it's not there. I slowly retracted my hand and looked upwards, where Renma kept staring. _And I couldn't believe my fucking eyes_.

"_Woooohoooo!!!_" Taiga wearing a vest, attaching himself to the zipline, swinging widely..._ with a gun_. "Sumi!!! Hey!!!! The shooting range gallery finally opened up and I found an air-soft gun and some pellets, free-to-take!!!"

_Oh thank fucking god, they're not real_. I exhaled a deep breath that I've been keeping in once I saw what was it he's holding. _Yet_.... "Wait, no, fuck- _Taiga, why the hell are you on the zip-line for!?!? You're gonna hurt yourself!!!"_

"Morning training, missy!!" _Ah yes, there he is. The root of my midnight crisis_. There's a rock climbing wall on the other end of the gym and the starting point of the zip-line seems to be connected on top of it and there, Hisao and Hiroshi overlooking us all. "This is apparently an ordinary training for the little marksman here!! He got all hyperactive when he saw that thing and we just pitched in to satisfy his needs!"

"They've been going at it...." Renma sighed. "I'm only here in case the situation turns south..... I accompanied Taiga to the desired range gallery but... _I, unfortunately, have lost control over him way too quickly_...."

".... _I don't think anyone else can control his excitement to this extent_....." I can see Higura, Saku and Kiharu now entered the gymnasium and screeched at the wild sight right before their eyes.

_"What the fuck!? How is this fucking allowed!?"_

_"T-They've been doing this once the places opened up!!! I can't stop them!!!" _

_"Hey, that's totally unsafe, Tai!!! Your vest hook will come loose!!! You shouldn't move around that much!!!"_

"That's a great idea!!" Hiroshi grinned. calling out to the marksman. "Taiga, unhook your vest, let the safety mattresses break your fall!!"

"_How about_ _**DON'T!?**_" Kiharu screeched, wildly flailing her arms around as if she tried to stop them. "_You guys are being too reckless-_"

_"Okay!!"_

Just like that, the hook came off and the marksman fell ever so slowly, in my eyes, to the mattress below. Without realizing, I took off, I immediately ran at his direction, ignoring the protests behind my back, _'Shit, shit, shit, shit!!!!' . _Once I'm near enough, trying to break his fall, I caught him in my arms right before we stumbled down after one misstep. I instantly gabbed onto the air-soft gun, "O-Ow.... are you okay, Taiga?"

"Wooooo!" He got up, held his arms up high with a wide smile as if he didn't cause any trouble or gave anyone a heart attack. "100% well and safe!!"

"_**Good**_...." I pulled the trigger and the pellet hits him in the chest, leaving small amount of paint. "_**Because we're fucking not**_..."

"Ahahaha.... for a moment there, I thought you were aiming for my face...."

"_**That was my initial target**_..." I tried to stand up but hissed when I felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. "Seriously.... did I actually overdo it?"

"Whoa, whoa, did you actually sprained your ankle trying to catch me...?" Taiga suddenly became worried. "Why did you do that? I mean, the mattress here would have been enough to catch me...."

"Ugh, instinctualsensegot the best of me_...._" I replied, trying to push myself up, stumbling a bit as I managed to stood on both legs. "Anyways, I'm fine.... it's just a small sprain-" I almost fell back on the slippery surface of the mattress, "Ah-!!"

"Gotcha'!!!" A pair of hands caught, secured under my armpit as they lifted me up, swing my right arm around their shoulder. "_The critter caught the bait on time_....!"

_Shoma_. Never have I feel so glad to see that plushie hat again. The biologist hit Taiga on the head afterwards with a karate chop, pouting, "Tiger shark is always so aggressive...... it's not nice to hurt others..... everyone needs to be in their best condition after this, you know?"

"Ow-!! Okay, I got it!! I will be more careful next time!!! Please- stop hitting me!!"

"Nope!! _No more next time!!!_" Kiharu cuts in, dragging Hisao and Hiroshi behind her by their clothes. "Don't do the ever again!! I'm being serious right now!!! I'm gonna tie everyone up and put a lock on the gymnasium and the shooting range gallery next time!!!"

Higura, Saku and Renma joined the crowd, scolding at the troublesome trio as well. The medium urges Shoma to carry me back to the hotel in which he agreed, immediately picked me up with no problem over his shoulder, letting me slumped over like a rolled-up carpet, "W-Whoa.... never knew you have that strength in you, Shoma...."

"_Fuah_...... this critter went through many currents...." said Shoma as he walked forward, swinging his free arm around. "_Resilience only builds up faster for critters like me_......"

"But the ability to talk like a normal human being is apparently a very slow work in the progress....." grunted Higura. "Would have been a lot more useful if he acted normal for once...."

"Like you did when you try to coax Sumi out of her room?"

".... _Are you fucking implying a simple gesture like that is too outlandish for someone like me? Do you wanna get fucking shanked, you bonehead?_"

Being carried around by the biologist, the conman and abseiler getting dragged along by a fussy archaeologist, the designer and aerobat arguing, and finally the medium just leading the way and not minding the noisy commotion we're making behind his back.... _it's like nothing bad ever happened yesterday. **But it did**_. My mind keep flashes back to yesterday's events.... **_the class trial, the execution and the revelations_**, _they were all just too much_.

I can see why Taiga and the rest acted so reckless just now; they were trying to cope with what they had just witnessed, something they never wanted to see for themselves. I'm sure the people at the dining hall were also trying to desperately act like yesterday didn't happened, _they wanted to focus on tomorrow instead_......

_'But how much difference would that make....? Can we really just settle down.... and hope tomorrow will be different....?'_

_........_

_'As always....... my mind keeps spiraling downwards.......'_

* * *

"There.... I wrapped it up nicely...." Renma said to himself, looking at his handiwork. He recommended that I will be taken to my room instead to treat my sprained ankle, not wanting any worrisome attention distracting him. Currently, Shoma is laying down on my bed, spread out like a starfish while I'm just sitting at the corner with Renma handling me.

"Thanks, Renma...." I tried to move but winced when the pain still shot through a bit. "You don't have to do that for me...... it's only a sprain... it will go away once a day has passed......"

"Which is why I would not recommend you going anywhere for today...." Renma strictly warned me. "To ensure a full recovery.... I suggest sitting in for today.... even if it makes you really off. After all, it was by your own action that landed you with that injury, right? I wouldn't want to remind you again if you injured yourself even further...."

_'Why does every time he speak, it feels like I'm being scolded by an angry parent instead? And it actually made me feel bad?'_ "I panicked, alright?? And I don't want to risk someone getting hurt over a stupid stunt....." I mumbled. "If anything... I think Hisao and Hiroshi are the ones should be scolded for letting Taiga do something like that...."

Shoma shot upwards as he said, "The relic-examiner have done that duty....! I have never seen such fury exudes from a single critter..... Tiger shark is lucky, they swim along before getting devoured..... leaving his two companions behind....."

"But Hibiki caught him in the end..... good grief, those three are quite a handful when left to their own devices...."

"They were all so cheerful and full of energy...." Renma laughed. "... I'm positively sure they're trying to take their mind off of such serious issues...."

_Yeah_, Renma thought so too. So it wasn't just me. _I think_. He's really open when talking about his feelings and he's always so level-headed, even during the class trial....... _well, most of the time except when Hisao starts suspecting me as the culprit_. _That disembowelment remark was also really weird for him to say and almost unnecessary._

"Say, Renma.... your way of wrapping the roller bandage is surprisingly accurate for the sake of comfort and support...." I pointed out. "Have you done this before?"

"It's a necessary practice from where I came from...." Renma stated. "I also have wrapping practice when handling corpses. Since my family's shrine was constantly used for funerals and spiritual cleanse, I have multiple skills that I picked up that doesn't just involved communication with the dead...."

Renma's family must have been the strictly traditional type. I heard this kind of tradition always passed from one generation to another but it also has some rather negative reactions from the public view. "How about you, Sumi? Certainly you're not just a detective in disguise? Your deducting skills yesterday was really impressive!!"

"A-Ah.... if it weren't for you guys contributing a lot though, we wouldn't managed to end that case rather cleanly..." More specifically, if it weren't for Hisao bringing up the bloodied coat and the kitchen roster, we wouldn't be able to made it out alive then. "My own strength lies somewhere else....."

"_What is Sumi critter's __specialty_....?"

"_Covert surveillance_......" That answer doesn't sound all too nice and I can already see how confused they are by what it actually meant. After all, I'm mostly just a document manager through and through, "_I collect information on others_, that's what it meant. Murder cases are usually my last minute resort if I'm actually required for it. Most of my undercover cases involved impersonating as an _executive protection_...."

"Ah, so that's why Sumi acted weirdly when Taiga has a....." Renma must have seen how I acted at the gym earlier. It probably looked weird to him. "..... _You lead a dangerous life_...."

"Well, it's not all the time I have to go out and risk it...." I tried to reassured them. "Most of times, I work on infidelity cases, since that's what we're usually called for!"

Still unsure, both of them have no idea what to say next. Figures they would rather looked oddly at my work of choice. It's what I chose to do, after all. _And it's what I'm actually good at_. But it's mostly the reason why others were scared to begin with when I told them.

A weight suddenly added on my shoulder, Shoma's leaning against my back with his chin resting on my shoulder, "_Sumi critter is a really important person then.....?_ Really brave and hardworking.... perhaps everyone looked up to your strength.....?"

"Geez, you really like to invade other people's personal space, Shoma...." I grumbled, pushing his face away. ".... I guess that's a somewhat positive way to view it..."

While trying to get Shoma off of me, Renma just stared at the both us, expressionless. I prompted a _'what?'_ and immediately that does that trick, "You've started calling everyone by their given names.... during the trial even...."

Even a minor detail like that, _he notices it?_ Seems nothing can just go by under his radar. _Color me surprise,_ the medium is actually not all about that spiritual stuffs, "I thought it would be nicer if I called others properly from now on, not treating them like they're strangers or so...... plus, it way shorter....."

"Indeed....." Shoma rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a small thud. "..... We're all swimming the same ocean..... best to familiarize one with another....!"

Both of them left once they felt like they over-stayed, which I don't really mind. Renma said he will fill me in some details of what they've later before nighttime and will check-in from time to time to ensure my needs. I looked at the clock on the wall, _'Even though I'm supposed to stay in bed.... there's no way I can idle around with this much free time.... maybe there's someone else on the same floor who I can hang out with...?'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

I found myself standing in front of the composer's room. I will admit; Amane always stood out to me the most interesting person out of the bunch, _in terms of normalcy_. He's not really raunchy or off, he's just the usual normal snob you can find elsewhere, '_And for that... I'm actually okay with...._'

Knocking on the door twice, I heard shuffling noise and a soft voice, "Come in, _it's unlocked_....."

True to what he said, the door opened with no problem and I was taken aback by the amount of musical sheets littered all over the floor, "What the.... were you in the middle of cleaning, Amane...?"

Leaning further into his seat, the composer just twirled the pen in his hand, "I just had an inspirational muse tickling my genius brain so I have no time to waste on some rejected failures...."

He's really critical of his works, quite the opposite of Higura now that I compared those two side by side. Slowly, I picked up some of the sheets up on my way to his desk as I placed it neatly on it, "You know you will work more efficiently within a clean environment...."

"I've heard of that but I paid no mind to it...." said Amane, who seems to be listening to a music player in one ear, probably acting as his white noise while he works. "State your business with me..."

"Well.... I got into a bit of an _accident_....." I showed off my left sprained ankles, thankful that I found the hotel slippers in my closet. "So I can't really go anywhere far.... and I decided to hang out with you since we never properly talk...."

"Unfortunately, I won't be able to pay attention to what you will be saying...." Amane turned to the empty sheet in front of him. "I'm in a bit of a rut so if I'm ignoring you then do keep in mind, _I treasured work over social skills_....."

_Wow, he really said that without hesitation_. Ironically, both of us have that in common. Curiosity got over me as I tried to see what he was listening to, "_Oh, Gnossienne No.1_..... I have heard of that piece..."

"Huh!?" He suddenly got up from his seat. "A _middle-class human_ actually have heard of such piece!?"

"....._ You know you're also one of them_, right?" I sighed, _so it's gonna be one of those kind of conversation_. "I used to play the piano when I was young.... actually, I have tiny bit of experience with playing other kind of musical instruments.... but piano and violin is my go-to stress reliever....." I have classes before but I solely focused all my time and energy on my piano and violin skills.

"Amazing....!!" Amane grabbed both of my shoulders, frantically shaking me. "Would you ever so kindly to use your unimaginable skills to play one of my masterpieces one day!? Oh, for how long I've been wanting to hear my pieces to be played ever so gracefully!!"

"Huh...? You mean....... _you never heard them in person?_"

"I sold them off," He confessed. "A man has to write a check to survive, after all. However, I would rather not want to hear a poorly improvised version of my masterpiece in person. _**I would slit out my own stomach if they play a note wrong**_...."

"I bet you will... _do that_...." Everyone always have these morbid speeches and I'm not so sure whether to take them seriously or not. "But why me? You've just met me and you think my skills are exceptional already....?"

"If you can recognized _Gnossienne _then I'm sure you would recognized _Gymnopedie _as well..."

"You're..... _not actually wrong_...?" I mean, both pieces are done by the same person, it's evident that I would recognized it. I'm not sure where's he trying to lead this conversation here.

"Answer my question...." He demanded. "When you hear these pieces, _what kind of feelings did it invoke within you?_"

"_Slow, solemn.... as if you wouldn't realized the passage of time slowly goes by while daydreaming during a rainy evening_......" that answer made me realized. "Oh, _you're looking for someone who would play your piece emotionally_, right?"

"**_Indeed!!!_**" He finally lets go of me, continuing his triumphant speech. "I've been eyeing on your behavior, Ms. Investigator!!! You're truly one of those people who would rather go along the flow of emotions these pieces are trying to invoked!! Everyone should know!! You should not only convinced the listeners to listen to your impacted piece but also you, the holder, should feel its emotional impact!!"

Listening to him rambling was interesting but it's also tiring every time his voice peaked and I have to really pay attention, passion does wonder to a person. "Then maybe when we leave this place one day.... feel free to approach me if you want a trial version of your musical piece!"

"A trial!?" Amane scoffed. "Nonsense!! I'm expecting a fully prepared orchestra to be doing my masterpieces in public once we're out of here!!"

"_Wha_\- I don't have the capabilities to put out such a huge musical roster in a short amount of time!? You can't even set up _Saint-Saëns' 'La danse macabre' _perfectly with that limit!!!"

_'Passionate, thinking big about his work yet always discarded them and calling them failures.... I feel like Amane may have been too hard on himself here. But, if I spend more time with him, he might give them a chance to shine....'_

Both of us ended up listening to _'La danse macabre'_ in silence, I can see how fingers keep tapping in tune with the flutes. _Somehow, it ended pretty well for the both of us._

* * *

I went back to my room shortly after and once I opened my door, stuffing my ElectroID into my jacket, it appeared, "_There you are!!!!_"

_"Ngyah!?"  
_

I fell backward when something suddenly dropped down from the ceiling, scrambling away till my back reaches the door. "Y-You-!!!"

"Huh??? Meeee??? What meee??" Monomyou tilted their head, acting all innocent. "There only one of me, your adorable, magnificent host, Monomyou!! Could there be someone else impersonating me!?!? Tell me, dear guest!! Who's been bothering you all!?"

"Y-You're the one who's bothering us!!" I yelled back. "Why are you in my room!?"

"Hey!! Isn't common for host to check on their injured guest!?" said the cat. "I got reaaaaally worried, ya' know!? It would be hugeeeeee loss if ya' out of the game!! It wouldn't be anymore interesting if we only have one person carrying the whole group on their back!!!"

Monomyou keep saying that, keep saying that it was because of Hisao and I that the group survived the class trial. _They've said it like that as if someone else, other than the mastermind, is overlooking our whole situation right now_. Probably an organization. "Enough stalling... what do you want?"

"I've been looking all over the hotel for you to give your reward!!"

"_Re-Reward_....?"

"For a job well done during the class trial!!!" Monomyou threw a small amount of confetti in the air, blowing the air horn. "Don't get too special!!! Everyone gets one!!! This is a fair game after all!! Nyahahaha!!"

Monomyou proceeded to hold up the said award, _a stuffed animal?_ It's clearly a stuffed white cat plushie with beady blue eyes and a black ribbon around its neck. Not gonna lie, _it's actually quite cute_.

"It is!! Isn't it!?"_ Wait, did they just seriously read my mind_? "Everyone have the same toy but in different colors!! Don't wanna anyone to fight over it, ya' know like little brats!!"

"What do you seriously take us for....?" I grabbed the plush from their arms, it actually has a hefty weight to it. "This is all you're gonna give us? Just a plushie?"

"Nyahahaha!" Monomyou laughed. "Oh no, my plushies are reaaaaaal special!! They all can talk!! So that you wouldn't feel lonely during the coldest nights and in your lowest of moments!"

"_**If it talks in the middle of the night, then I won't hesitate to burn it**_...."

"D-Don't do _nyat!!_ Ackh- _I stuttered!!_" Monomyou begged. "T-That's one of a kind plushie made by yours truly, ya' know!!! It will entirely be your loss if you burned it without listening to what it's saying!!!"

_My loss?_ "What do you mean??"

"Nyahahahaha!" Their annoying laughter returned once again now that they caught my interest. "Can't say! Won't reveal!! Why won't you let them do the talking for you?" And just like that, they disappeared, through an opening on the floor that closed up once they're in.

"Talk....?" I held up the plushie high as I collapsed onto the bed. "What does that mean......?"

And then, the thing practically answered my question, "_Three.... mice..... three.... mice....._"

"_T-Three mice_...?"

"_Three blind mice! Three blind mice!!! Three mice executed!!!_" the white cat plush screeched horribly. "_Three blind mice!! Three blind mice!!!_"

It kept repeating the same three words all over again. _It's a nursery rhyme_, or what supposed to be a nursery rhyme but with its own twist. I'm familiar with that rhyme but the way this thing keeps saying it make it seem like this isn't just an ordinary twist.

"_Ravenscroft_...." I spoke to it, the name of the original composer of the old rhyme. It feels like this is a puzzle I have to solve. Not sure why but if I learned anything from staying in this place, it's that the cat host really like mysteries.

Just like that, the plush suddenly became quite, silent finally fills the room. _Good_, I was seriously going to consider burning this thing later if it continues to do that. What's the purpose for it to talk? _Is Monomyou just messing with us?_

I was so hyper-focused on the plush that I didn't realized someone was ringing the doorbell as I scrambled to answer it. As I opened the door, I was greeted with another cat plush except it's grey this time, held by Renma who looked troubled.

"Ah... I see they got to you as well...." he took a peek behind and saw the white cat plush on the bed."I supposed yours started acting undesirably as well....?"

_"Did yours talk about mice?"_

"No....." He shifted the plush, carrying under his armpit. "It started spouting old folklore however it's incorrect.... _and gruesome_ at the same time.... Currently, I'm finding a way to communicate the spirit to use this as their vessel.... it's much more pleasant to talk to them rather than a mindless doll....."

_That sounds wonderful, I'm not gonna lie_. "If it works the same for you... I've tried to talk by saying the name of the creator of said story.... it shuts up really quickly....

"That's an unfortunate solution....." Renma sighed. "As we know it..... old folklore tend to change as centuries gone as well the name of the creator who vanished without a trace. In fact, no one really knows if the folklore even stemmed from one person, it could be a collective of like-minded people to put others in their place.... or to scare off wanderers....."

"It works for me, I'm not so sure about yours....." I stated, trying to think for any other possible solutions. "How about try and complete its story? If they keep saying the same thing, maybe continued from where it left off...?"

"That's.... _plausible_...." Renma nodded. "Oh well, there's always possession as an option. Perhaps the underworld wouldn't mind a sudden spiritual call from their one and only messenger since I'm offering up a body to them......... Do you required anything now that I'm here?"

Right, this is part of his routine he talked about just now, "No... not really. But I would like to hear your report before the day ends! I want to know about everyone's experience with..... _this thing_...." I pointed at the cut plush. "I'm afraid it's not gonna be an ordinary gift from Monomyou....."

"We should never trust what the cat gives....._ not after the last gift_....." said Renma. "We all hoped and wished that this is that thing's attempt to cheer us up... as strange as it is....."

_Perhaps it's a motive_, was what crossed my mind. But why give it so soon? And why in a form of a talking plush even? _To make it less obvious?_ _Or is it made for a specific someone they're aiming to pursue-_

"_Eyes!! Eyesss!!! Everywhere eyessss!!!!_"

I groaned, looking back to see my own cat plush came alive with another cryptic message, "I gotta take care of that.... I will be seeing you soon, _Ren-chin_....."

"Aha, that was adorable...." Renma chuckles at the accidental nickname I gave him but glad he liked it. Right when the door is almost shut closed, the medium said, "_Be careful, Sumi... the spirits surrounding this place are getting even more restless_.... _**Someone is prompting them**_....."

_'Someone...?'_ I stopped, he said the same thing before those motive videos were revealed. _Something is going to happened and Renma noticed it._

.......

_Come to think of it, he always notices something's off way before everyone else_. Even before Hisao pointed out. _'Could it be....?'_ thinking about the conman's words from before, I surely hoped _**the supposed fake**_ doesn't point its finger at the medium. _Or else this will be difficult for Shoma and I to handle already. _Once again, I collapsed onto the bed, hugging the cat plush close to my chest that went suspiciously quiet, _'So a time limit for this thing to loop its speech, that's good to know....... this thing is lucky, at least its cuteness prevents me from burning it for now.....' _and I let myself drifted into a short sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Setsu Hibiki  
[ Title ] Ultimate Opera Singer  
[ Height ] 175 cm  
[ Weight ] 60 kg  
[ Chest ] 60 cm  
[ Blood Type ] O  
[ D.O.B ] 7th February  
[ Likes ] Folk Musics & Cultural Dances  
[ Dislikes ] Carbonated Drinks


	9. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Daily Life II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The true nature of the rewards given by Monomyou come to light along with Nao and Machi discovering a small hint of their missing memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -came in with a boba tea-  
Half of this cast is actually physically fit while almost a third can actually fight back and i didn't noticed these two things until now.

** _\- Ding Dong! Ding Dong!!_ **

"Wha....." I groggily lifted my arms and stared at the front door, someone ringing the doorbell again, "Ah shit... I accidentally slept in till afternoon.... damn it...." Leaving the comfort of my bed and letting go of the cat plush that's still quiet, I didn't bother to look at myself in the mirror to fix my appearance as I answered the door disgruntled, "_What_...?"

"Oh whoa, you really enjoyed your sleep...." said Taiga sheepishly. "I've been hitting that bell right before noon!!"

"_Usually, if no one answered the door for three hours, that would be your cue to leave_....." I sighed out a response. 

"Yeah, but I'm persistent!!" Taiga stated. "Also, this is really important since Monomyou dropped by and gave us rather strange gifts!!"

Letting the marksman into my room, I made sure there's no one else in the hallway for safety reasons. After the coast is clear, I closed the door and locked it, "So what did your gift said? _A nursery rhyme? A folklore?"_

"_Codings_...." he replied, not too out there for a person said to be able to solve five cipher locks, "And they're tough to crack.... I'm glad the library has bunch of decoding manuals but it will take me a day or two to actually solved all three questions...."

"_Three questions...?_" I raised an eyebrow,_ what is this about again?_

Taiga nodded as he explained, "Yeah, _Kiharu_, _Shoma _and _Hisao _already solved theirs and they said they're only given three questions before their plush congratulates them. But I don't think they were happy with _the last question_ from what I've seen...."

"Why?" Now I'm curious about what those two's target questions are. For the biologist, _maybe a trivia or quiz?_ I can think of the conman's questions to be tailored as _an escape game quiz_. "They're just meaningless questions we have to answer to shut them up, right?"

"_Because the last question is about others_...."

"What...?" My eyes widened, _so the plush reward thing really is just a disguise to introduce another motive_. "Did they say anything about it?"

"They're riddles and they're very personal, _sensitive information about others_...." exclaimed Taiga, with a worried look on his face. "It's not something to joke around either or even seen as childish secret, _this is a very grave situation_.... I think they're being used to make us turn against everyone...."

_Something you've kept from others, something they shouldn't know about yourself_. Would the mastermind revealed its _**fake player**_ that easily if that's the case? Maybe they realized one of us got a hold of that secret and so they tried to get rid of them as quickly as they can, _by disguising it as a motive for everyone?_

"_Did_ _they mentioned who got whose?" _I tried to pry for more information, cursing myself for ignoring that damn plush's second question earlier. 

"_Kiharu did_... the other two..... not so much,_ they're very vague about it_..." Taiga tries to remember back of what he knew. "_Kiharu got my secret_ which is why I knew about the three questions that the plush gave. _And if the others' secrets are anything like mine, then this whole plush mystery is gonna escalate into a shit-show real fast_. Shoma got someone he trusted and Hisao got someone he really,_ really hates_....."

"_That literally could be anyone_...." the conman doesn't mingled a lot with other people and somehow show discomfort with almost everyone. "I've only answered one question.... so if I answered the next one, I will know who I will get by tomorrow morning...."

"But is it wise to reveal this thing to others?" Taiga asked uncertain. "I mean, I'm telling you this since you're the most trustworthy person I could think of by now...."

"_I_......" _I don't actually know what to say_. If I said it would be fine to tell others about it, it would end in a messy situation like last time. If I said we shouldn't tell, then it will just made it worse once others knew everyone have each other's secret. No matter where or how you see it, _we're all still screwed_. "I think we should wait till tomorrow.... until everyone settled down first so that we could talked about those plush mysteries..... if by bad luck they all got those three questions answered by then, _we might need to discuss about those stolen secrets and how we should kept them from others knowing_...."

"Huh, strange.... the exact opposite of what Hisao had in mind..." I really, _really don't want to know what he means by that_ and_ I really hope_ _'telling everyone your darkest sercret' isn't the exact idea he had in mind_. "But I'm with your logic.... it's best for others to not know who got whose in the first place..... _even though Kiharu technically already crossed that line_...."

"And you're okay with that....?" He doesn't look to bothered when he said that. 

"It's a rather risky thing to admit...." Taiga side-eyes while saying that. "But I'm sure you guys understand my predicament if you hear my story first!! I haven't told you guys about my crazy home life in an urban neighborhood, right!? They're very wild stories that will keep you in the edge of your seats!"

If his stories are gonna be anything like when he first introduced himself as an _Ultimate_, then I'm prepared for total absurdity, "I'm looking forward to it already-"

"Oh!" Taiga snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot!! The reason why I'm here! The most important thing of why I'm here to begin with!"

_Really? I thought the whole plush thing is a lot more important than whatever his reason is to be here._

"Since it's going to be real dangerous with that thing going around, exposing everyone and because you sprained yourself just now!" I want to defend myself there but I will let that remark slide for now. "I went back to the shooting gallery got something extra to work with!!"

"_To work with?_"

"I was experimenting something while everyone's busy exploring or staying in their rooms!!" Taiga handed me the air-soft gun he had earlier, except this one seems a little different. "I actually found _two of these things_ when that place first opened up!! Both of them now belonged to the two most experienced holder!! We both know these things can't really kill anyone!! Unless we're aiming for the eye that is!!"

_Yeah, makes sense_. I examined the gun I'm holding right now, small handheld and a more spring-powered type. "If by any chance we ever got separated.... we should stick into two groups, in that way, it will be more secured...."

"And-!!" He handed over some pellets that I hardly recognized, brightly neon-colored pellets. "You're gonna need these!! I can give you the ordinary ones because that's all they have but I added my own spin as well- _Tracer pellets!!_"

"Tracer pellets....?"

"The only places that we're not allowed to enter during nighttime is the library, gym and the shooting gallery...." Taiga pointed out. "However, wandering around the night is somehow acceptable with the exception of those machine soldiers watching your every movement, plus lights are off during nighttime so it can be really, really dark!!!! So in case of an emergency, I concocted several different pellets if we ever try to catch a bad guy down!! They're essentially glow-in-the-dark kind of stuffs!"

"_How do you even made these and who did you bribe?_"

"_That's a secret!!_"

"Your talent......._ terrifies me_ _sometimes_...." I sighed, taking the pellets and put them into a smaller pocket pouch I found at my nightstand. Taiga could have mistakenly be an _Ultimate Gunsmith_ instead of Ultimate_Marksman_ with this much effort made. It's almost impressive how much he prepared in a short amount of time. "There's only five pellets for each of us?"

"I have five tracer pellets and five marker pellets!!" Taiga grinned. "With my perfect precision skills, there's no way I would skip out on those last pellets!! We now wouldn't worry a single thing when we're gonna catch our next culprit!!"

_Our next culprit...._

So even Taiga, who is also optimistic and all that, is really worried about the killing game starting again. Both of our survival instincts decided to kick in too late yet too soon as well, _it's almost frustrating_. But now it's not the time to sob about it, "Thank you, Taiga. You really don't have to go this far for our own sake...."

"Well,_ call it instinct or paranoia_, I always have to be prepared for the worst ever si-" Taiga immediately stopped, his face went pale for a moment before he changed the subject. "_Anyways!! _I better get going!! Because of the shenanigans this morning, I was forced to clean the dining hall with Hiroshi!! So, see ya' later!!"

With that, he quickly left and closed the door behind him without me greeting him out, _'What was that about? That was so abruptly.... did... did he looked terrified for a moment there...? Did it has something to do with....?'_

I shouldn't think too hard on this. If it makes Taiga uncomfortable, then I have no reason to pry that kind of information out of him. _Huh,_ how ironic that I actually have that thought_,_ _'Anyways, I still have some free time left..... are there anyone else still holed up in their room....? And I'm really not in the mood for another classical music lesson and being scolded relentlessly....'_

* * *

**[ Free Time Event ] **

Nao and Machi weren't in their rooms _(presumably they're at the library, go figures)_ so I decided to hang out with Kiharu this afternoon. _'I'm sure she have a lot of interesting stories to tell as well_....'

I rung the doorbell once and immediately I can hear her stumbling around the room before opening the door with a disheveled look on her face, "Oh, hey, Sumire!! Hi!! Welcome! Welcome!! Why don't you just come in here and not stand in the hallway like that!!"

She pulled me inside and locked the door immediately, "Sorry!! I'm currently hiding, you know!?"

_"Hiding from....?"_

"Oh, I stole Saku's air plane model from his room when I visited him just now!!" she snickers, pointing at the said air plane model currently on her bed. "I did leave a note behind to say it was for research purpose but I want to be sure I said it or else he will be breaking down my door any minute now!!"

_"Okay...?" _Was there a rivalry bond that I missed out on...?

"So why are you here for? Oh!! Now that I have someone in my domain!! Come, come!!!!" Kiharu then dragged me along to her desk by the nightstand, there's numerous shelves stuck to the walls filled with miscellaneous fossils and bone fragments. It almost gave the room an eerie vibe. "I want to show to someone about this picture I found during my library hunt!! See here!!"

There are two set of photographs showing numerous excavation sites, it looked like they've just dug up a massive graveyard considering the bones and skulls all scattered on the floor.

"Ya' know when I see sites like this! I get all tingly and excited! Because it made you wonder, _'What happened here? Was there a feud between two tribal groups? A small rebellion?'_. It's something like this made my heart pounding really, really fast!! I really wanna be there to witness these kind of things!!!"

"_I-I can see that_....." It does made me questioned it but at the same time, doesn't it seem too dodgy to say that so freely? Theorizing something like massacre shouldn't be taken so lightly considering how many tragedies plagued the world right now. I get finding these sort of things uncovers the missing part of the past but still....

"But...._ Argh!! It's so annoying!!!_" Kiharu threw the photographs back onto the table. "I wanna go out there again!! I wanna go and do some energized digging, let history rubbed its spores all over you!! _I want that kind of excitement!!_"

_'That actually sounded way more lewd now that she said it out loud!?'_

"But alas, archaeology paperwork and this stupid killing game prevents me from doing that...." Kiharu sulked in her seat, sinking in deeper. "I wanna go back to my excavation buddies one more time..... every moment I'm not there with them is a huge loss for the them....."

"_Your team?_ Do you think they're still on site, waiting for you to return?"

"Huh? Of course they are!!" she immediately stood up straight. "I'm the one who's carrying them around!! Without my guts and knowledge, we wouldn't uncovered the entire missing tribal city and their massive graveyards!! We even uncovered their sacred ritual temple with strange artifacts and books, _we still haven't theorized what those are actually and we haven't figured out their language as well_...."

"_Considering the place and what you guys found in there, I'm pretty sure they're cursed and you guys are in big trouble_...." I said my point bluntly, knowing how most of that situation will typically go downhill from there. "But wow, with only you and your team.... you uncovered that much, huh? No wonder you're considered an ultimate, Kiharu...."

"Again, I couldn't have done it without my team!!!" she flashes a grin at me. "You know one thing about me? I hate quitters!! I hate slackers!!! I hate people who do stuffs half-way and just give up when it became too hard for them to continue!! But my team learned how to push through those challenges!! So whenever I do something amazing, _I will always mentioned them at every chances I get!!_"

_A team leader and a team player_, Kiharu has that amazing quality in her. _Strong, adventurous, instinctive_, she's all and all, such a down-to-earth kind of person you would only meet in your fantasy. I'm almost jealous of her. She's definitely an ideal person I would like to listen to all day without getting tired of it.

"Hmm... I wonder if my teammates are worried about me though... I mean they're always looking after me... _even when I get sick during excavating_..." Kiharu laughed it off. "Of course, when you're surrounded by history, you bound to catch something other than knowledge!!"

I almost laughed at the sentence before I considered her usual excavation sites and their conditions, along with how her attitude is as well. There was silence between us for a moment.

_"Are you sick right now?"_

_"A bit...? But it's not too serious-"_

"_**Ask Monomyou for a proper health diagnosis immediately**_...." I told her, instantly and firmly, with no doubt, I can't believe she kept that to herself up until now. Even with her protests, I called out for Monomyou who appeared in a full doctor getup, disgruntled. _'Better safe than sorry.... I hope Kiharu didn't think I'm being too harsh on her....'_

* * *

Exiting the room, I was greeted by Hibiki who was about to knock on the door, "Ah... Hibiki... were you here to see-"

"No, I was asked to get you and the others to meet up in the dining hall this instant...." she sounds like she's in a rush, her expression seem serious as well. "Machi and Nao checked the library archive and found something related to this place.... _and us_...."

_A possible clue to our past, our missing memories?_ "I will help you as well, I'm gonna go tell Kiharu. I think Amane and Higura are still in their rooms..." She gave a nod and went ahead to get them. _First, the plush now this?_ These mysteries keep on piling up.... _but it's better to get some answers out of it and try to make sense of everything_.

* * *

_"Geez, you guys are so slooooow!! We already went through the stuffs before you guys do!!"_

"Oh, shut the fuck up!!" I sighed once Higura and Hisao started bickering. My patience keeps thinning every time both of them opened their mouth, _I have already found my personal kryptonite and white noise at the same time_. Everyone else already gathered at the dining hall. On the table, they were bunch of newspaper clippings that looked pretty old.

"Nao and I found these while cleaning the archive rooms.... it's about this hotel and.... _it has some connections to us_...." said Machi, looking unsure of himself.

"May I read it?" I asked. Machi handed over the documents as I skimmed through it. Kiharu and Amane read them over my shoulder as well as Higura, whom I actually have lowered my arms a little so that he could see.

* * *

** TRAGEDY STRIKES AT THE YUMEINO LUXURY HOTEL **

**xx.xx.xx**, an unfortunate tragedy have struck at the brand new hotel that was built by its main facility, _Yumeino Ultimate Academy For Elites_. As the place was intended to held the graduation program for its 50th Class and their sixteen talented students, multiple explosions around the building went off causing the building to collapsed, leaving no survivors.

We would like honored the deceased who, unfortunately, left this world too young and too soon.....

* * *

Then, there's a list under the column, _the list that has all of our names on it under the title, 'In Memory Of...'_. "What the hell.....?" those words escaped from my gaping mouth. _So we were.... dead...? We were supposed to be dead? You're kidding, right?_

"This newspaper.... _but it's recent_....?" Kiharu stammered. "S-Surely this is just a messed-up prank!!"

"Unfortunately, _it isn't_...." Machi sighed, taking off his glasses to rub the dust off the lenses. "There are multiple newspapers that we found made by different companies but all covering the same topic, all reported the same thing. _Sixteen students who perished in a brand new hotel_. And to make it even worst and nonsensical, these newspaper clippings are at least a few months old...."

"But the place right now.... this whole place....." Amane's distressed voice is hard to miss. "This is the same hotel as the one mentioned in here.... how could they rebuild this entire place.... just to get us killed all over again....?"

"**_Perhaps they're trying to get something out of us_**...."

Everyone turned to Hisao, who still looking at the other newspaper clippings, voice still has a tint of boredom in it, "_Think about it_. A tragedy strikes yet we're still alive. We found ourselves in_ this copycat hotel that supposed to be destroyed_, only to get us to murder each other. It sounds like they're trying to see who's the best among us. Or think about _how Monomyou present themselves_, _us _and _this whole killing game system they've been going on again_.... _**it sounds like this whole thing is being **_**_broadcast_**...."

_"That's impossible"_, is what I wanted to say. But it was cut short when the conman continues, "_**Just kidding!**_ There's no way anyone would be that cruel to watch some high school students murdering the shit out of each other! That would be so mess up!!!"

"_You little_-" Instinctively, I held back Higura, stopping him by firmly grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him back. He was surprised by the sudden aggression but didn't say anything afterwards.

"_What if your first sentence was right?_" I told him. Hisao immediately has that all too familiar smile on his face, that I'm following his logic here. "_Someone or some organisation kidnapped us_... _during this tragedy_..... _just to gain **something**_......"

"_Or **someone**_...." Higura shrugged. "If you really think about our class roster, our talents and our list of achievements pinned to it.... _they looked like they're planning to recruit some members to join their occult organisation_...."

_Those are exceptional talents on that long list. _If these whole setup was done by those people who are after our talents, then we already fell right into their trap, didn't we? _To have people murder each other, leaving two survivors at the end of the killing game_. It sounds like a typical requirement or a recruitment method for a dangerous organisation, there's no doubt about it. Though their existence is rarely known, _they're still out there, hiding in plain sight_.....

_An organisation that determines who will gained freedom and the will to live.... and who will just died and disappeared off the face of the earth...._

"But now we know the name....." Saku cuts through the tense atmosphere, "_Yumeino Ultimate Academy For Elites_..... that's the school we all attended together, right...? The name really fits for a prestigious school mentioned from our motive videos....I heard that everyone's previous motive videos have some kind of acceptance speech to an unnamed school...."

"A-According to some information about that school...." Nao hastily go through all the notes she collected. "A-An agent goes around a-and recruit the best of the best...! I-It seems like this school is a more smaller yet pristine version of its _predecessor school_....Although, Macchan and I can't find anything related to that latter school...."

"But the _'For Elites'_ part is quite on the nose, don't you think?" Hiroshi pondered. "Does that mean we came from a higher status or something? Is that why we got kidnapped to begin with?"

_Could be, could be not_. Almost all of the talents here are quite absurd and really outlandish. They even have talents like myself, Hisao and Taiga, who are well-known to be _heavily armed and dangerous_ as well. In which aspect of ourselves were they targeting for?

As far as most of the revelations goes, this is the at least tamer than yesterday's. Everyone still kept their cool yet still showing considerable amount of stress and curiosity (surprisingly). Most of these still doesn't make sense so we can't quite piece a complete story yet._ Maybe there's a lot more clues in this place as well...?_

"Hohoho!!" Suddenly Monomyou jumped down and landed on the table. "You guys found those things at last!!! Man, I was hoping someone to bring these out right before the first class trial!!"

"Y-You there!!" Mitsuru shrieked as she pointed at them. "_What is the meaning of all of this!? Are these all real!?_"

"Huuuuh!?" the cat gasped. "Of course, _they're all real_, you dumbnumbs!! These are_ the original copies_ as well, don't go rough on them, okay!? I spent an entire lifetime collecting such interesting stories for you all to go through and reminiscence!!"

"Please answer our question, our dearest host...." Renma asked _kindly_. "If the said hotel was destroyed in said tragedy... how was it rebuilt so quickly with only a few months gap?"

"Whoops!! _That's too soon to ask!!_" Monomyou giggles. "Man, you guys caught onto some details really fast!! No wonder you were all chosen by that _Elite Academy!!_ You got some mad brain cells in that head of yours!! _Too bad your personality suckass, just a copy of a copy!! All of you are not likable enough!!!_"

Like that, it disappeared and we all let out a collective sigh together. We didn't expect them to answer but a hint or so would have been a wishful thinking. In the end, we got more questions in our mind but that's a given. Nao and Machi said that they will keep the records in their room got safety reasons. They will return to the library tomorrow to search for more clues.

The others decided to do their own thing, now with these sort of things occupying their mind. Taiga, Renma, Saku and Amane look the most troubled out of the group. Meanwhile, Shoma still looks as _floaty_ as ever, mindlessly dusting off the dirt on the table.

"What do you think about it, Shoma?" I asked, curious to hear what he had to say. He was really quiet during the whole discussion but the biologist did look like he wanted to say something but didn't.

"Hmm... this critter doesn't think a lot...." Shoma confessed. "From what this critter remembers...... _it doesn't matter_. Because everyone is here together.... we shouldn't worry over such history.... right? One day.... we will leave this place, full of great memories...!"

Again, still as cryptic as ever but still positive about it nonetheless. I thought about the plush mystery from earlier, wondering what kind of secret he's keeping from us,_ 'It's probably not that bad if he's still optimistic....'_

"Hey, little miss!!" the conman patted my head to get my attention. "Got a minute? Need to ask you for something!"

_'Guess it's the survival group time'_, I thought to myself, seeing how Amane is also with him, both Taiga and Nao have other stuffs to do. Of course, if we all keep staying as a group, then someone would find out soon. It's better if they don't know about our intentions yet.

* * *

_'_ _Back at the bar once again....'_

And it doesn't look like Monomyou managed to fix the security cameras here, judging how they're still down and looking really dusty by now. They must have given up and left it just like that._ That would be a reassuring thought, since that thing have no idea what we've been doing here._

"Do you guys got your lame plush rewards from the annoying cat?"

Expecting him to ask about that, I simply said, "Yes, but I've only answered its first question... and from what I know, it seems you, Shoma and Kiharu solved them already....?"

"What??" Amane became confused by the revelation. "There's more from that lousy doll? What's so important about it that we must gather here??"

"Ahhh.... I knew Taiga wouldn't shut up about it, that stupid paranoia in him is too great for him to even try and brace through. Geez, _what a coward_....." Hisao sighs. "_Guess his bravery, easygoing attitude is just a front and a mask!! Should have known it!_"

"**_Sao-chin_**...." I warned him.

"_Ergh!!_" Amane tried to hold back laughter once he heard that atrocious nickname and Hisao's reaction. "_I-I'm just joking around!!_ That's totally uncalled for!! Anyways!! This is clearly another trap set up by that annoying cat!!_ **Another motive**!!_"

"Just as I thought...." For once, I'm glad my doubts towards these 'harmless' rewards were right all along. "From what I've heard, the last question will revealed other's deepest, darkest secret.... _something that's really serious_...."

"And that's not just an overreaction, what I got really just shot through the shock factor by a million on a horror movie scale...." said Hisao, as he pointed his finger at the both of us. "Here's the deal; _we can never, EVER anyone about their own secret!!_ Trust me, this shit is way too gruesome to reveal publicly!!"

_Oh_. So he doesn't want to reveal it that easily? That's a surprising approach. Then what did Taiga meant by him having an opposite idea? Did he compromised his plan that fast? "_I really thought you would insist on telling others_...."

"Yeah-no, I'm a jackass but I have boundaries and I value my life very much even though we're stuck in a killing game...." Hisao grimaced, clearly telling the truth. "I've got a job for you two, being a musical genius and all...."

He searched for something in his jacket, rummaging around and for a moment, his sleeves was pulled back a bit and I see an odd-looking futuristic bracelet clamped tightly around his wrist, _'What is that?'_

"Here ya' go!!"

The conman handed the both of us some numerous musical sheets, "Study them!! They're gonna be very much useful in due time!! I'm sure you two will have so much fun with these things but don't go overboard and do something naughty behind my back!!"

"_**Shut the fuck up**_" Amane and I said in unison, annoyed by his crude joke.

"Woooo, what an attitude from these two this evening!! Such vigorous energy!!!" Hisao laughed. "Anyways, I'm gonna do my own thing now!! I'm gonna play around with Renma and his sixth sense again! He's a very interesting person he turned out to be!"

My theory of Renma being _**the fake player**_ suddenly double its possibility when he said that. _Does that mean he has Renma's secret?_ Is he going be a jackass again and revealed during the class trial? Internally scolding myself for thinking about a class trial happening soon, I want to make sure Hisao wouldn't do anything too rash or else it's gonna obvious that he's making both a bigger target _AND _a fool of himself.

_'I feel like... without Hinako around....'_ the behaviorist with her usual cheerful face and floral appearance flashes through my mind. _'We became this man's babysitters instead..... God, please send my gratitude to Hanabusa Hinako and her amazing resistance towards this grinch....'_

* * *

After that, nothing much happened. We all finished up what we know so far and then left the bar. I met up with Nao and Machi on my way to the hotel, leaving Hisao chased after wherever Renma is_ (as I silently pray for him)_. Even after a traumatic event, Nao still remained herself, still stuttering through her words and avoiding people's glances but she managed to pull through. Perhaps it's thanks to Machi's doing that she's able to stand her ground.

_'Maybe one day, I can help them with their library duties as well. It's the least I can do for troubling them so much during the last class trial...'_ I mentally took a note for tomorrow maybe._ 'I really wanna know what those two actually do when they're at the library alone- Fuck, that sounded really weird....'_

* * *

Entering my room, exhausted and sitting on the edge of my bed, it took me a while to noticed but once I saw my ankle being wrapped, I suddenly feel dread washing over me,_ 'Oh God, Renma is going to kill me and he was there during the talk earlier....'_

I didn't realized it before, the pain has becoming numb now that I limited my time wandering around the place. The bar and the hotel doesn't even have that much of a distance to begin with. _'Also, why am I actually afraid Renma is going to hurt me? I can easily overpowered him and won a fight-'_

Silencing that thought immediately, I sigh while falling backwards onto my bed, "I shouldn't be thinking about fighting someone at a time like this,_ even though my instincts still screams for it. _I shouldn't let violence be my only answer this time...."

_If my secret turns out to be **that**_. _then I would have a tough time explaining myself_. They might not even trust me that much anymore if the person who has my secret spilled the beans. Right on cue, the cat plush starts acting up, _"Eyeeeees!!! Everywhere eeeeeeyesss!!!!"_

"Eyes....?" So it's no longer a nursery rhyme? Now we're onto some cryptic bullshit. It couldn't be a riddle, this one is too direct. It must be related to something, like something in this room? The hotel as a whole? But the only thing I can think of the words, _'Eyes everywhere'_, could be referring to is... "_Monomyou's Security Cameras_...."

Just like that, it stopped repeating, and then said, _"Congratulations, Hoshino Sumire. You have completed '**Monomyou's Special Surprise Quiz**'! You're a lucky one!! Due to your fortunate partner's luck, you are only required to answer two questions as your partner offered no such scandalous information in his lifetime!! What a shame!! It seems like you have no materials to perform a blackmail!!"_

"Blackmail? Seriously...?" I frowned, did that cat seriously have a death wish? Well, of course, that's what they're aiming for. Something to rile up the potential killer. _'But thank god, I didn't get it.... or that person is pure or something....'_ So I'm supposed to get one of the boys' secret? They made no effort to hide it so it's seem pretty intentional. Kiharu already got Taiga's so the suspect list has gone down to eight people, which is still a lot, _'The closest I can think of who wouldn't do anything remotely wrong is Macchan.... I mean, how much trouble can a librarian get into? But still... I shouldn't be too sure about this, I can still be wrong about it. And if this is a fluke then....'_

_Tomorrow will still be troublesome_, that worried feeling keep bottling up. Inside of the desk's drawer was the air-soft gun that Taiga gave for safe-keeping. I really, really hope that the day I will be forced to use it wouldn't happened. _That would truly be a first for me_. The nighttime announcement begin without a pause or anything, I slowly succumbed into a deep sleep, into the welcoming embrace of the dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Sekiguchi Amane  
[ Title ] Ultimate Composer  
[ Height ] 168 cm  
[ Weight ] 78 kg  
[ Chest ] 67 cm  
[ Blood Type ] A  
[ D.O.B ] 18th May  
[ Likes ] Sweets And Lavish Jewelries  
[ Dislikes ] Poor Quality Junks


	10. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Daily Life III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the storm brews on, the tension is in the air and ends in Monomyou's favour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ TW ]  
Mention and usage of firearms, very bad description of using said firearms because I HAVE NO IDEA.
> 
> Making characters use their talents and knowledge in any situation is fun yet frightening at the same time.

_"This is it, we're finally graduating today...."_

_"Yeah, fuckin' finally. I had enough looking at you fucking exhibitionists' faces for three damn years already!! I gotta force some clients to kneel down after this!!"_

_"Gura, that will only drive off your potential customers...."_

_"Gah! Who cares!? They will come back crawling eventually! Because I'm the best one out there that they will ever fucking find!!"_

_"Your spiritual aid does proven to be correct. You might even found a handsome offer here after the ceremony..."_

_"Ooooh! I ain't passing that shit up!"_

_"So you will only eat up that spiritual claim if it gives you money, huh. But hey, an offer is an offer...."_

_"Amane and I wishes for you all to have a successful future...."_

_"Oh yeah, good luck on that overseas tour, you two!! Send us some souvenirs!!"_

_....._

_.........._

_"Hey, *****.... you've been really quiet this entire evening.... you okay there, buddy?"_

_"Yeah, I'm fine.... I'm sorry, Sumi...."_

* * *

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement to be at your very myou-est of health!! I hope everyone have found joy in my special rewards, they're limited edition, you know!!"_

_"Actually, did you know I was actually planning for a raggedy doll-kind of reward? That would be very interesting, ya' know!! I wonder if a horror movie starting some high school students getting chased down by some cheap knock-off doll would even make a buck!!"_

_"Anyways, have a myou-est of day!!"_

The PA system turned off. It took me a while to think clearly after that, _'What... what was that dream? Everyone was there.... **everyone**...even Homare and Hinako...... but I don't recognized that place we were at.... and did Mitsuru in that dream mentioned about 'graduation'...? Was that a missing memory...?'_

"So those newspaper clippings proved to be true then.... seeing those things must have flipped a switch or something....." I said as I combed through my hair, deep in my thoughts. "If we discovered those things right before the first trial....._ we could have done something more about it_...."

Well, no use lamenting about it now. We have another situation to handle; _the plush mysteries_. It's reassuring to know I didn't get anyone else's secret or that person is just really pure; that means that person and I are cleared of suspicion. _Now for the others_.....

As if on cue, the doorbell rang and I wasted no time idling around, immediately answered it, "..... _It feels like there's a duty roster to wake me up first before anyone headed out_....."

"_Sorry, Ren's orders_...." Saku, this time who is at my door, chuckles. "He wanted to make sure you're alright, eating breakfast and your ankle is all healed up! You were at the meeting yesterday so everything's okay, right?"

"Yeah... I think...." I tried moving my right foot a bit, subtle but not too serious. "I needed to move around anyways.... or else it will become more worst than before....."

"Don't worry, I will came up with an excuse to let you walk if Ren ever looks at us disapprovingly!!" Saku cheered. "It should be well-known that you need to exercise your joint even when you're injured!! If not, then it will stiffened and you will ended up feeling those thing poppin' every time you moved!"

"_I'm sure there's a better way to describe that feeling_...."

* * *

_"There's no fucking way we're keeping this shit to ourselves!!!"_

_"If we don't do that then a class trial will happened soon!!"_

_"This isn't something to joke around, you know!?"_

_"This **is** that creature's **initial plan**, you shithead!! Of course, a class trial is one of the things will happened!!"_

"_Shit_....." We've just exited the elevator yet I can already hear the commotion from the dining hall. My worst fear have unfortunately came true, _they already found out about it_.

"W-What's going on...." Saku looked at me for answers. "Why are they so heated up so early in the morning....?"

"_You will see_...." I mumbled, and quickly change my pace. I marched towards the dining hall door, swung it open dramatically and clearly see how divided everyone is.

On the left, Higura is upfront, snarling at Machi and Hisao on the opposing side. Following the graphic designer was Mitsuru, Hibiki, Nao, Kiharu and Hiroshi. Machi and Hisao still stood on their ground, with Amane, Taiga, Shoma and Renma behind them looking unfazed. If I have to guess from the first sentence I heard earlier, _Higura's side wants the secret motives to be revealed_.

"Hey, what's going on here.....?" Saku looked around the surrounding before his gaze fell onto the fuming Higura. "Gura, what did you do?"

"Fuck you, you bonehead..." Higura pointed at the conman accusingly. "This time, I have a good fucking excuse to be really pissed off!!"

"Excuse your boytoy's language but at the same time, learn how to restrain him a bit, will you?" Hisao sighed, not minding the heated glare from the opposing side. "Ironically, the person who's always in the sky is not on the same ground with us but the plush rewards we were given was a trap that revealed everyone's darkest secret..."

"W-What!?" Saku didn't bother to argue him about what he said first but he thankfully didn't ignored that last bit as well. "You mean it's not just a useless talking plush!?"

"The cute facade is fake....." exclaimed Machi. "Like those motive videos, Monomyou is using each others' secrets that we can use to blackmail each other...."

"_Which is why-!!!_" Higura cuts in before Machi can finish. "If we tell everyone else's secret, there is no reason for blackmailing and no reason for anyone to kill for their secret to keep shut!!"

"Unfortunately, your logic is so flawed and I can't help but pity you..." Renma frowned. "If the other's secret made them look dangerous, then there would be a dispute. There is a chance anyone can use that revelation as an advantage to cover themselves up and blamed the said dangerous individual instead...."

"_It's a 50-50 situation_...." Hibiki argued. "Yes, there will be a dispute but regardless of that, we still knew about that at the end of the day. We can still trust each other's account-"

"**_Oh, so just like the last trial?_**" Everyone's breath hitched. The conman's merciless tone continues, "_You know what happened last trial?_ We trusted Homare's innocence and yet she was plotting for a murder behind our back, wanting to leave unscathed. And just like that, we lost another person who also wanted to save her own skin! _**Do you really wanna throw that word 'trust' around now?**_"

He has a point, no matter what everyone said or even denied it, _Hisao has a point_. Keeping it to yourself will feel like torture but it will be like a Russian Roulette once you let it slipped from your mouth. It's everyone's game to take the opportunity to murder anyone using that secret motive, easily blamed it on the said person with their secret.

Everyone here is smart on their own way but once that will to live burns stronger, being logical during the class trial would never crossed their mind. _Trusting anyone's word could only get you so far_.

"_I'm with Hisao on this one_...." I calmly said, walking over to the defending group. "It's too risky... And Saku, I'm sure you're siding with your best friend on this and we won't judge you for thinking-"

"_Actually_...." to everyone's, even Higura, surprise, he walked over to our side. "I'm also with you guys.... there's no way revealing all of our secrets... _will end in anything but bad luck_...."

"Tsk!!" Higura clicked his tongue as he looked away. "Like a spineless coward he is!!"

Saku didn't say anything, he looked like he regretted his decision but he still stick with it. The atmosphere has grown tense as we continued our breakfast _(prepared by Nao and Hiroshi today)_ in awkward silence, _in separate groups_. _'We can't....' _my mind wandered. _'We can't let this thing get to us.... but we can't let that opportunity go as well..... because Higura's group already made themselves a bigger target....'_

"Hey, Sumi. Are you free later this afternoon?" Taiga snapped me out of my daydream, with his usual cheery tone.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I am..... do you need something?"

"Nah, nothing too serious..... I just need a training partner to hang out with at the shooting gallery....." said Taiga, nonchalantly. "It's kinda creepy being on my own and who knows!! Maybe we might realized something about you as well!! You might out-shot me and it turns out you're the _Ultimate Marksman_!!"

_S-Shouldn't that posed a bigger threat to your livelihood though?_ "Yeah, I'm in. Don't have any bigger plans at the moment..." _Guess I can hang out with Nao and Machi some other time._

_'Hmm... I still have a lot time before I meet up with Taiga.... maybe I should hang out with someone at the gymnasium first?' _I stared at the time on my ElectroID before I left the dining hall.

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

Not surprisingly, I bumped into Hiroshi at gymnasium on the rock climbing wall. He was midway up there before he noticed my presence in the same room, "Oh hey, Sumi!! Fancy seeing you here!!"

I gave a wave of acknowledgement before asking, "Guess Kiharu just let you go here in the end, huh?"

"Nah, I need no permission from anyone else to do my own thing!!" He gives a thumb up and his other hand still holding on. "I need to keep up my stamina or else I will be as weak as a wet noodle strand!!"

_Weird analogy but okay_, "But you're the _Ultimate Abseiler_, right? Do you usually do rock climbing while you're at the outdoors as well?"

"Used to..." he shrugged. "It was something I always do before I took abseiling up but now? Not so much! Ever since my rope gave up and lost my footing while I was mid-climbing no less! And so, all I can do is scaling down basically!!"

"Wha- _You fell!?_" I unintentionally shouted at him, staring as he continues to climb up. "B-But you're fine now right!? I mean you're doing alright so-"

"You're good at analyzing people right?" said the abseiler, still climbing and not addressing my concerns towards him. "I want you to take a good look at my movement and find out what's wrong with me!"

_What's wrong with him?_ He made it sound like a challenge for some reason. For once, I know he has no trouble maneuvering his arms, they're very responsive if that elevator moment didn't prove enough. But once I saw his feet placement, it clicked, "...._You can't move your left foot_...."

"_Bingo!!!_" he managed to be on top of the wall. "Well done!! I would give you a noogie if I was down there with you!!"

So he injured his left foot caused by the fall and because of that, he can't strained himself even further. _Or he still do considering he have just successfully climbed the wall at this moment_. Hiroshi made his way down using the stairs besides the wall with a large grin on his face, "I know what you're thinking, _'Why did I decided to became an abseiler?'_"

I just nodded and he continued without interruption, "Well, right after that fall,_ I was really bummed out_, you know? Knowing that I can't help out the folks at my area. My hometown have like mountainous areas so it's a perfect tourist attraction, you know? I was only helping out as a part-timer after my incident, making sure they go their gears on safely and tightly..... _but one day, one of the anchor gave out_...."

We both sat down on the floor, listening attentively to his story, "It wasn't too serious... the person's didn't immediately fell to her death but still stuck in the darkest pit nonetheless. And so I did what I have to do, put my gear and go right after to save them. Long story short, grave injuries but heard that she was still alive afterwards so that's a good story!!"

_"You didn't let your injury get in your way huh....."_

"Well, I already accepted the fact that this thing will never recover anyway..." said Hiroshi. "It will only get worst and worst no matter what I do so...._ best to go ahead while I still can, right?_"

I chuckled at his statement and smiled, ill-advised but he's pretty determined enough. He wanted to make sure no one suffered the same fate he did, and so he earned his Ultimate title out of his wish to ensure everyone's safety. Of course, you can call it obvious safety precaution, but it's rare to meet a young person like him willing to risk his life again just to help anyone in danger.

"Guess that moment from yesterday morning really went over your head..." he pointed out. "That was a spur of the moment but I did not expect you to swoop in catch a falling tiger!!"

"Ahhhh, I panicked..." I admitted it. "It was too sudden so I wasn't really thinking...."

"That's pretty bad for an investigator like you....." He repeatedly poked my head while making his point. "You're still fine, you know? You still got a long road ahead of you so _don't go rushing into danger just because you weren't thinking straight_..."

_'He sounded like an older sibling profusely scolding the younger ones for hurting themselves. Still, I gotta looked out for him or else... Someone should also look after his safety too as well....'_

_'Oh I better get going to meet up with Taiga at the shooting range....'_

* * *

_"Heeeeey! Over here, Sumi!!"  
_

_"Ah.... Kiharu and Renma are here too....."_

"**_On watch_**...." Kiharu puffed out her chest, staring at us keenly. "I don't want any accident like yesterday's morning!! Even if those things are bolted to the stands, I won't be fool by Taiga's _amazing skills, naivety, carelessness and clueless nature!!_"

"You have one positive thing to say right before you sprinkle in the other three negative things...." Renma awkwardly laughs. "We're just here to make sure nothing goes wrong, _like Monomyou appearing out of nowhere_....."

Taiga commented how there will be no real loss there, if the mascot did abruptly jump in, before going to his place, "The distance is quite alright...... wanna see how many we can take out?"

"Fair warning... it's been a while since I've held a proper one....." I said before inspecting the said equipment. "I'm more onto hand-to-hand, you know?"

"Yeah but I'm not risking hurting you any further that I did before!!" He exclaimed while pointing at Renma, by the side, smiling with that still menacing aura. "Renma will sure plucked out my bones to make soup during his shift!!"

_'Again, another morbid thing said by the medium....'_

And so both of us fired away, with ear muffs and goggles on for protection. I took a peek at how Taiga was doing and to say it wasn't mesmerizing how serious he looked would be a lie. I never seen the marksman looked really deadpan and solemn, contrast to his exaggerated yet energetic personality from before, _'I wonder if this is how he usually is....'_

The score ended with 10-6, with the exception of my shots being all over the target carrier while Taiga perfectly aimed at the perfect middle. I took of all the safety gears to congratulate him, "A perfect score..... as expected for the _Ultimate Marksman_. You looked really cool just now...."

"Wow, I usually got told _'they're scared of my precision skills'_ but thanks!!" Taiga smiled, a really heartwarming one at that. "It's been a while since I've had a partner to hang out with who wouldn't weird out!!"

"It's not really ideal to bring your friends to a shooting range just to hang out but I actually had fun nonetheless...."

"_Both of you guys' ideal of fun is way out of the chart, especially for normalcy_...." Kiharu sighed dejectedly. "But whatever floats your boat...."

"Sumi and Taiga have both rather dangerous occupations but they're very lovely people...." Renma chuckles. "They're much more reliable than the conman who always disappeared and reappeared to mess with people. _It sure is a blessing to have these two being decent_...."

_'Ren-chin, just say that we're good people and end there! You're making both of us feel really down here!'_

"I still find it quite strange though....." Taiga looked around the place, like he's inspecting the structural components of the building. "Although I'm happy that this place exist but right near the hotel? I have heard of amusement park or tourist destinations having shooting galleries but why would they find it fine for a hotel to have one?"

"It's not that really off, though?" said Kiharu. "Maybe people find it entertaining enough to have one built here. I'm sure a luxury hotel like this can also attract many,_ many wealthy hunters as well_..."

"Oh right, I didn't think of that possibility..." Taiga scratched the back of his head. "Sorry!! Guess my brain isn't working well today!!"

_"When will it ever be...."_

"Kiharu, don't be rude...." Renma warned her. "There's a lot more mysteries to this place. Unfortunately, we can only do as much as relying on certain physical evidences...."

"What Nao and Macchan found was really by luck... if they didn't check archives as soon as possible, we would have missed that completely....." And since Monomyou themselves said that they're completely true, then what else is that thing hiding from us?"

_Something tells me that we will get our obscure answer.... really soon...._

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

_'I still have enough time.... maybe I should waste my time at the library till evening since I wanna check on Nao and Macchan....'_

... was my initial plan before decided to leave if those two have everything handled. But instead, I was greeted by a pile of books on the floor and a figure being buried underneath it, "What the- Macchan, is that you?"

_"Y-Yeah... a book fell and I stepped on it...."_

_'Geez, how unexpectedly clumsy', _I hurriedly shoved aside the books on top so that Machi can finally breakthrough and rolled over from the messy pile, "Isn't there a moving cart you can use to move these books?"

"Both of them are broken so I have to manually move them...." Machi sighed. "I was doing fine before that fall happened...."

_"Where's Nao? Wasn't she's the one helping you out?"_

"Low stamina, she's not used to heavy lifting so I would feel bad if I ask her for help...." said Machi, collecting the fallen book and placed them on a nearby desk. "She always left earlier before I do. I only leave the library once nighttime begins...."

"That's a long time to spend in one place...." _Especially for a whole day_. "What do you even do here that you would be willing to stay till nighttime?"  
  


"Ah, the usual thing librarians are expected to do...." he explained. "Organizing the shelves, keep everything neat and tidy, updating the library databases, making sure none of sections are missing a book or even a page and making sure the locating system is functioning as well..."

"So in short, _you're kind of a neatfreak_....." But I'm surprised, this two floored library can be easily handled by one person and a helping hand, _but mostly Machi _(Sorry, Nao!). But he said it's a common practice right? "How did you became an_ Ultimate _actually?"

"I don't quite remember..._or even know what I did_....." Machi initiate his thinking pose. "Perhaps it has to do with me handling all five local libraries in my area? Of course, it was only for a short time since I mainly handled university libraries. I even managed to get a hold on really detailed and treasured works by famous scholars, and I did it by begging..."

_"B-Begging, huh...."_

"Not like that, not like my knees on the floor, you know?" Machi reassured me, doesn't look slightly offended that _I think of it like **that**_. "Just a simple please and sugarcoating by saying it's for the future generation or something. But I just think it looks more complete for a library to have such valuable information to balanced out other stuffs as well...."

_'Wait, so you did all that stuff for aesthetic purposes?!'_

"Believe me, university libraries are just better than public ones...." Machi confessed with an uncertain look on his face. "I really like hardworking people so seeing other students studying all day in the libraries just made me feel glad that my contributions didn't go to waste! Of course, I actually do that myself since... I'm still a student...."

"A librarian who handles the library... _is also a student themselves_...." Is there like an assistant for _Ultimate_ occupational students like Machi who have to check in everyday? It sounds like a hassle. Being home-schooled on my own, I always wonder how they managed their time. 

"But then one day, it will eventually end....." Machi sighed, placing his cheek on his hand. "My effort and position won't even matter in the future....."

_Ah, he's upset_. It's true, libraries won't be really relevant anymore in the near future, with how technology improved over the years and e-book becoming more convenient for busy people. But I can't say all of that in front of Machi, he would surely be in low spirit if I did.

"That won't happened...." I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "B-besides, there are a lot of people who prepared the classic physical books, you know? People who don't want to ruin their eyesight or keep getting migraine for staring at the screen for too long! Who knows, maybe there would be a futuristic e-library place and you might the first one to manage that!!"

"E-library place, huh...." He made it sound silly with his melancholy tone but a glint of interest in his eyes said otherwise. "That wouldn't be much different that an information center for businesses but- That actually sound really cool..... Hmmm, hey, Sumi.... if we ever get out of here... mind be my business consultant for a while? I wanna make sure that idea doesn't go to waste...."

_'Ah, so I became a business partner, huh? Kind of dug myself a longtime commitment there with someone I'm not close with yet....... Hmmm, it's still not a bad idea. I would hang out more with Machi so that the idea would flourish more!! I might be able to protect him from loan-sharks as well!'_

* * *

When I entered the hotel at night, I witnessed a really strange sight at the reception area, two unlikely people conversing with a serious look on their faces, "Huh? _Hisao_... _Renma_?"

"Ah, dear little miss!!" The mood suddenly shifted as Hisao started to flail his arms around while greeting me. "Were you on a date? Who did you go out with!! That's not fair!! Spend more time with me too, you know!! I want some care and attention too!!"

"_You will have your day_...." I replied without missing the playful tone I decided to match with his, I don't really have the energy to be snappy. "What are you two doing? This is really rare to see you two in the same room, _not trying to snap each other's necks_...."

"The young conman made a peace offering, you see...." Renma showed a neatly wrapped gift, it's hard to make it out what is it. "And so we both are on an equal stand.... _for now_...."

"_Oh, so momentarily_...."

"Yup, yup!!" Hisao exclaimed. "Ren-chan and I have formed a spiritual bond!! Now we're bound together and wouldn't die for the next two days!!"

"_Gross, go to hell, you disgusting vermin_....."

"_Ren-chin_, that's rude for you to say that....." I narrowed my eyes. A spiritual bond? So a partnership? But what would Hisao get from partnering with a medium? _Don't tell me...._

"Sorry, sorry...." Renma smiled apologetically as he looked outside. "_It's already dark_... I still have a lot of matters to discuss with this conman here so mind if you take Shoma to his room, Sumi?"

"Ummm... sure, just that.... where is he exactly??" The medium pointed downwards, my eyes traveled and widened at the figure sleeping right next to the medium's feet. "Wha- _How long was he sleeping on the floor for!?_"

"He... _passed out while swimming_....." the medium looked like he has a tough time explaining his state. "Shoma has this thing he called..._ 'swimming gauge'_ that if it runs out, then he will just mindlessly float around limply..... Luckily, I found him, facing down in the pool and managed to fish him out in time...."

_'No, no, no- no matter what he called it!! That's his stamina he's talking about!! Out of all the things he could say, that's the easiest word to decode!!!'_

"Then this man came along, wanting to converse so I have no choice but to put him aside which is an immoral decision-"

"Hey!! I did say, _'You can go and take him to his room first then we could talk'_ but you insist on saying that it would be a waste of energy to go up-and-down on the elevator just to talk to me!!" Hisao argued back, earning a heated glare from Renma.

Leaving the two with their _'friendly'_ talk, I walked over to Shoma's side and leaned down, poking at his sides. His face twitched a bit, before burying into his high-collared jacket, "Ah, good thing he's still responsive. I will be carrying him now...." I tried lifting him up, with one arm over my shoulder, _'Whoa, he's heavier than I thought...'_

_"Don't take advantage of him!! Even when you're in a boy's room!!"_

_"You better shut your mouth if you value your tongue!!"_

_'Hey, she finally know how threaten people like you did, neato!' _was what the last thing I heard before getting on the elevator with the sleeping biologist.

* * *

By miracle, I found the ElectroID, _not damaged somehow despite its user constantly submerged themselves in water with their clothes on_, that Shoma kept in his jacket and swiped it in front of the automatic lock until a noise was made. Inside his room, he has two small aquariums with many vibrant fishes, there's also many fish models like a mounted eel on his wall.

"All of our rooms were decorated to match our talents...." My room only consists of a cork board and just a bunch of notepads, nothing exciting for a person like me and that's already a given. Carefully laying down the sleeping figure onto the bed, making sure his head aligned perfectly on his pillow, I spotted the plush reward that Shoma had, except this one is a.... _jellyfish?_

_'That's strange.... and really cute as well. Knowing Shoma, he must have not be happy having a plush of a mammal or even of Monomyou themselves as a reward....'_

The biologist is still sleeping soundly but for some reason, something within me wants to say this out loud, "I will be leaving now Shoma..... be sure to lock the door..."

"... _Yes_..." _Oh wow, that actually worked?_ He's semi-conscious, I supposed. He will eventually get up and have quick shower to get out of those soaked clothes. Making my leave, I walk down the hallway to my room, planning to idle around till the nighttime announcement kicks in before I heard a loud crashing noise, "What the!?"

_'That sounded like a window breaking.... from downstairs? The reception area?'_ Against my better judgement, I quickly went into my room to get the air-soft gun and the tracer pellets, shoved them both into my jacket before leaving my locked room behind, "Renma and Hisao are still there..... they should be-"

Words and thought suddenly disappeared once I saw the sight right before me, Hisao kneeling down with a bloody arm, "_Sao!!_"

"Ah, little miss!" he gets up with no problem, and then begin whining. "God, this is so uncool. I got injured even though I saw it right before it happened even!!"

"What is....." the area that Hisao and Renma were previous talking at has now shards of broken glass from the windows. Tiny glass shards has speck of blood on them, the conman must have picked them right out of his arm, "What the hell happened here!?"

"M-Medic here!!" Nao, appeared right from the direction of the dining hall along with a panicking Hiroshi, with her hands full of bandage and antiseptic. "W-We just got here when we saw it happened!!"

"A-A hooded figure threw something at the windows!!" Hiroshi tried to explain without going over his words. "Renma chased after them!! H-He said that we should help Hisa-"

"That peabrained idiot fucking took off without giving two shits about his own safety!!!" Hisao scowled. That's enough information for me to take in, I encouraged Nao and Hiroshi to stay with Hisao for a while and check in whoever is still in their rooms as well. Swiftly, I left the hotel, loading two tracer pallets into the gun, scanning the area as I did it.

_'Fuck, it has to be during the night that this happened.....' _I gritted my teeth, a strong grip onto the air-soft gun. I have to hear for anything; rustling, footsteps, any indication of life in the same perimeter. And then I saw it; the said hooded figure running from the shooting range to the direction of the gymnasium; _"**Got you**!!"_

I fired once, the straight neon light of pellet shot from barrel and aiming ahead, almost missed the figure. But confirming the direction of the figure, I quickly gave chase. From the distance, I heard two more shots and a grunt, _did someone else fired it? There could only be one other person- _"Taiga!!"

"Sumi!!" Taiga looked like a mess, wide eyes filled with fear and messy hair, "Y-You saw that right!? Your tracer pallet lead me to it so I used two of my marker pallets as well!! I-I think I only got them by the legs though...."

"That's good enough!!" I grabbed him along and quickly ran to the gymnasium. _Quickly, quickly, quickly, or else we will lose sight of it-!! We have to corner them immediately or else-!!!_

_........._

_ <strike> **Or else... what?** </strike> _

* * *

Panting heavily, trying to catch our breath in front of the gymnasium, we heard the nighttime announcement rolled in minutes before we even got here. Facing the gymnasium front door, I tried to speak clearly, "Unless, that person went in here before the announcement.... it's best to search the surroundings first....."

Taiga nodded in agreement, and went to the left side of the gymnasium. I proceed to take the right side.... _before I heard something rustling_. I braced myself, it took everything in me to remain calm in a dire situation like this. 

"Who's there!?" I yelled out, looking over with my gun up but my tense reaction softened when I saw who was it, "_Renma_....?"

"Sumi....." he looked frightened, eyes wide like a deer in a headlights, stammering. "I-I-I.... _I can explain_......" He stood up and cowering backwards, away from the familiar looking sheet on the ground; _the sheet that the hooded figure wore_. Whatever got into me, whatever spirit possessed me, I went ahead, leaned down quickly and pulled over the sheet, _a ghastly sight was waiting for me_.

_Kiharu was laying downwards with her head facing towards me, empty eyes and mouth agape with blood dripping out, pooling underneath her rigid body._

"What the hell!?" I don't understand,_ what the hell is going on!? Who's behind this wild goose chase!?_ Renma, still standing with his eyes locked onto the still frame of the archaeologist, trembling even. "R-Renma, did you...."

"It wasn't me!!" he yelled, his calm composure broke down at a worst possible timing. "I-I just found her like this!!!_ She was already here when I've arrived!!_ The person I was chasing isn't here!!"

Taiga must have heard us, he went over to our side and looked at the horrid sight, knees buckled immediately, "Oh no.... _Kiharu_.... h-how..."

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

** _"Ladies and Gentleman!! It seems like we have a new murder case!!! Please gather around near the gymnasium to start clue hunting!!"_ **

** **

It will take the others five minutes to get here from the hotel, and when they get here, the investigation will start again. _We have to go through the class trial again_. _'We need to find out who did this no matter what....'_ I have no reason to even be mad that it happened again, it's evident that it will from this morning. _'But... these sequence of events are rough.... can we even solve it this time....?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Yoshimune Taiga  
[ Title ] Ultimate Marksman  
[ Height ] 174 cm  
[ Weight ] 76 kg  
[ Chest ] 68 cm  
[ Blood Type ] B  
[ D.O.B ] 12th June  
[ Likes ] Action & Superhero Movies, Cats And Festivals  
[ Dislikes ] Negative Things And Seafood


	11. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Deadly Life - Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation with more missing pieces and odd details that dumbfounded some of the participants.

Monomyou spun around, wearing a long brown overcoat and a hat on, making its dramatic entrance once again, "Boy, what an exciting development!! The suspense just now literally gave me a heart attack that I have to resurrect myself from underground!! This time, dear guests, this is a tricky case!!!"

_Tell me about it_, a reply that I wouldn't say out loud. I don't want to give any of them any indication that I'm getting used to this. Just like the case from before, everyone gathered together, sharing the same shocked expression and Monomyou appeared to give us the gist of it.

"Just hurry up and give that file to us...." Hisao grumbled, rubbing his bandaged right arm. "It's bad enough we have to haul our asses here just because someone is too trigger happy to murder someone so soon......"

_'What's with that attitude all of the sudden?'_ The conman never show any disinterest in the killing game, _even if he actually want to get out of it_, so why did this particular case ticked him off?

"Ohohoho!! Straight to the point, I like that _'no nonsense'_ trait you guys have!! But no need to rush me! I'm the host who should be entertaining you guys, dammit!!" Monomyou handed everyone the _'**Monomyou's Record File No.2**'_. "I'm looking forward to how would you even solve this case, little detectives!!_ Show me the most despairful trial you will give to us!!_"

We didn't wait for the them to disappear, we immediately went ahead. Everyone's discomfort immediately wiped away as they waited, _for me to make a move. I guess_.

"Renma... can you take off the sheet? I'm gonna inspect it now...." I gently called out to the medium, he still looked shell-shocked. Fidgeting a bit, he slowly removed the sheet as I immediately kneel and turned the body over. With the record file in one hand, I begin listing, "_**Time of death is unknown**_. Found near the gymnasium but the _**exact location of death is approximately between the gymnasium and shooting range gallery**_...."

I frowned at this detail,_ 'What's with this gap? It's too wide for something that happened in short amount of time and it's out in the open as well. Which is why they didn't add the time of death probably.....'_

_"Wait, what's that?"_

Taiga kneel down on the other side of the body, his hand almost touched Kiharu's clothes before I told him, "Ah, better use my gloves if you're gonna inspect the wound or anything...." I took off my gloves and gave it to him as he wears it immediately, "Are you alright with inspecting... ummm....._ a woman's body?_"

"It's not my first time," he said that too casually. "But, I would rather have everyone looked away for a bit since it's embarrassing to have this many eyes staring right at me...."

"Hey, this ain't a time to be publicly shy, you-" Higura sighed before he could even insult any further, probably because Saku just glared right at him. "Fuckin' fine, we will turned to our backs..."

One-by-one, they all turned, except for Hisao, Shoma and Renma. _'I understand why the two of them didn't but Shoma....?'_ The biologist looked dazed, he must have woken up abruptly after hearing the body discovery announcement. _'He's probably still confused by all of this...'_

"_**Bullet wounds**_......" Taiga exclaimed, partially revealing the source of bleeding, near the stomach area. "There's no _**exit wounds either**_......"

"The_** cause of death is excessive blood loss**_..... and another _**blunt force trauma **_as well....." I revised the record file once again. "But the main factor here is the bullet wounds so the head injury is a bit off...."

"Why bother hitting someone, when this amount of wounds....._ three wounds_ even...." Taiga furrowed his brows. ".... is enough to kill one person...."

"They probably didn't planned it well enough....." Hisao joined in, giving his insight. "If I have to guess, this culprit is this much of an idiot who think head trauma is enough to kill so they have to go to the extreme....."

Taiga and I stood up, the medium was still silent this whole time. His lack of words and reactions is really worrying. "Everyone.... you can look now..." I called out to them. "It's best that everyone spread out and look for clues..... I'm not sure about the locations but best to go with everyone's guts....."

"Nao and I will inspect the hotel...." Hiroshi stepped forward. "Where the hooded figure was first spotted..... the back of the hotel has bunch of waste disposal bins so maybe they were throwing something away...." Machi also joined the duo, saying the thing that broke the hotel's window may have significance to the case as well.

With the trio left, Higura, Saku and Mitsuru said they will checking out the shooting gallery for possible murder weapon as well. Amane and Hibiki will stand-by at the body, in case of anyone tampering with the crime scene. Two teams already spread out, leaving Hisao, Shoma, Renma, Taiga and I behind at the gymnasium. "Renma, _aren't you gonna-_"

"Yeah... I will tell the spirits here....." the medium didn't wait for me to finish. "It's what I can do for now.... I don't think I have the fortitude to do the investigation right now....."

Something is definitely bothering Renma, he never acted this way during the last investigation. _Did he saw something? Or he knew something's off about this as well?_

"Can we even investigate the gymnasium?" Taiga tried to pry open the doors. "It's shut locked, since it's nighttime!!"

"Hmmm... hang on, let me test this out....." Hisao brought both of his hands together and yelled out. "_**I summon thee, the one and only, the magnificient Monomyou!!!**_"

"_Uhu~nyah!!!_" Like a magician, Monomyou appeared with smoke coming out from seemingly nowhere, in between Taiga and Shoma who jumped back a bit. "Nyahahaha!! You have learned the marvelous spell that summoned your dear host, eh!?"

"_No, no, it's kind of obvious you were waiting for us to beg for you to open the door_...." said Hisao, putting his hand on his hip, "We're asking for your permission to investigate the gym since it might related to the case. You can do that, right? _Pwetty pwease??_"

_I have no idea why but I just raised my arm involuntarily so did Taiga._

"Nyahaha! Who am I to reject the beautiful pleas of my guests!! Alrighty then, this is the only favor I will give to you all!! _Open sesame!!_" a clicking nose was heard behind Monomyou. "There, now investigate to your heart's content!! Especially, you two, dear ace detectives!!!" the thing was referring to Hisao and I, "_Give us your best performance!!!_"

The smoke appeared once again, replacing the spot where Monomyou was just mere minutes ago. The three of us immediately entered the gymnasium with heavy creak of the door echoing inside. _Nothing's off, everything looks ordinary._

"We should check the storage room just in case...." Taiga said, pointed at the door on the right side. "There's a lot of equipment in there and also a sink in it....."

"Do you think the culprit used anything from here before nighttime hits?" I asked him while walking to our destination.

"Hmmm, possible....." Taiga replied, unsure of his answer. "There's also dumbbells and heavy-lifting thingy that they could use..... but I doubt they would find enough time to put them back....."

Once we're there, Taiga turned the knob and opened the door widely. Immediately. Hisao's face scrunched up and covered his nose, "Ugh.... what an overwhelming smell....."

Hisao's hyperosmia isn't the only one that's picking up that scent, all of us reacted the same to the strong metallic smell. I went in and approach the source of the foul smell, it was _**the crumbled-up gymnastic mat**_ that's still covered with blood. It's a thinner kind that wouldn't be usually used by acrobats.

There is also _**a small horizontal window**_ above, slightly higher and almost near the ceiling as well. "Hisao, can you reach up there...." I pointed at the window. "I just want you to give it a little push...."

"Alright, anything for my dear little miss!!" He skipped over and on his toes, reached up the window and barely pushed the frame of the window, "Huh... you can only open it from the inside..... plus a little push is enough to open it wide..."

"Was that window opened before....?" I asked Taiga, remembering the incident from yesterday's morning.

"No... when we were trying to find the zipline that Hiroshi set up, it was closed.....Ah! But..." Taiga remembered something important. "Someone did cleaned up the place this morning! I think it was..... _**Saku**, **Higura **and **Hiroshi**_... right after that morning disaster..... maybe they opened it up when they were dusting off the place....."

_'Dusting, yeah, that sounds about **right**.....' _I may understand how Higura would have a hand in this case, it's plausible after all. He's the first one who wanted to reveal all the secret motives. But, that's shouldn't be all, right? Right now, it's not looking too good for his side.

Out of the corner of my eyes, Shoma still stood outside of the room, looking dazed still, _'Alright, these two laid-back people literally worried me to no end, something's actually up....'_

"Hey, Shoma?" I waved my hand in front of his face. "You okay? You seem out of it ever since you've arrived here....."

"_Hmmm_....._hngh_....." Shoma's in distress, trying to think clearly. "I..... I don't remember..... this critter doesn't remember what happened....... the events from this afternoon is too rough for this critter......"

"You've been out since this evening though...?" Hisao raised an eyebrow. "Renma found you floating dead in the pool and he fished you out like a beached whale... you've been asleep for the entire time as well....."

"But this critter.... _doesn't remember sleeping_.....?"

_'Doesn't remember? What-_' Something caught my attention, _a very familiar scent_. Without thinking, I held Shoma's head with both of my hands on his sides and leaned closer, "_Shoma,** don't move**_..."

Shoma started stammering but I didn't pay any mind to it, what's important was the smell I caught a whiff of. Once satisfied, I let him go, "_**Someone knocked you out**_....._**it's a ****slightly sweet smell as well**_......"

_"Ummm.... Sumi....?"_

"What?" I whipped around, expecting for either them to questioned my finding but instead Taiga looked bashful while Hisao just grin mischievously. Looking right back at the biologist, Shoma looked flustered, his cheeks entirely red until the tip of his ears, tugging onto his nautilus hat further down.

"_A-Ah_...." I suddenly feel the weight of my action, my cheeks heat up a bit. "S-Sorry..... I got too close and didn't realized it..... Sorry, Shoma. I got too carried away......"

"S-Sumi critter is just helping... that's all....." his mouth is covered within his jacket, still looking away.

"_**Okay!!!**_" Taiga's voice suddenly boomed and a forced laughter rang out. "Now that we solved that mystery!! What did the culprit used to knock our biologist out, huh, Sumi!? We're now talking about the case _and nothing else!!!_"

_'Oh, thank god, that scared the embarrassing feeling out of me....'_ I sighed in relief, and coughed a bit to retain my normal speaking voice. "There's cleaning supplies in the kitchen but we all know that it's locked and the key is with one of the people in charge. But there's some here as well....."

"Ah, now that you pointed it out... there's like **_one of the cleaning supply missing_** here...." Taiga pointed out. "I don't remember what was it though...."

"It's not that hard to deduce...." Hisao shrugged. "A sweet smell.... something that needs some kind of cleaning supply to make it... basically _**chloroform**_ is what I'm trying to say here...."

"You ended up telling us that anyways....." I'm grateful for his hint, though. "The bar doesn't really have any restriction in taking any of **_alcoholic drinks_** out.... so the culprit must have taken these two things with them...." _Or a more possible scenario, they made it at the bar to avoid suspicion_.

"But why Shoma though....?" Taiga asked. "It's kind of weird to knock out one person who did absolutely nothing wrong.... especially someone who's not the most intimidating or doesn't contribute much during the class trial._ Sorry, Shoma_...."

"_Tiger shark, I will chop you_...." Shoma pouted and the marksman reflexively hid behind Hisao once he saw a hand being raised. "This critter was aimlessly wandering around.... can't seem to remember how this critter was taken down unfortunately....."

_'That's one thing I'm not so sure about it right now but....'_ "For now, let's investigate the area between here and the shooting range.... perhaps there's more clue out in the open....." I suggested.

Everyone agreed, we make sure everything's in place before leaving the room. Hisao checked up on Renma, Hibiki and Amane with the body, nothing out of the ordinary for them as well, before we headed to our next destination.

* * *

The automaton soldiers wanders around still on the patch of grass, away from the stone walkway that we're stand on right now. We've been keeping an eye out anything suspicious or off about the environment but can't find anything too out of it.

"The exact place where Kiharu was killed... _was around here_......" I keep going back to that irritating detail on the _'Monomyou Record File No. 2'_. "But the distance between two places is wide so it's hard to pin-point...."

"Yeah... not gonna risk at getting another useless body discovery announcement just because we decided to step on some grass...." Hisao commented. "But if she really died here.... _**is there even a need for a search for the murder weapon?**_"

"What?"

"Ah, never mind, I'm just talking to myself...." Hisao smirked. "You have reached your helper-pal limit from your own friendly conman! Please wait for a recharge to use your help-pal for more clue-hunting on some other day!"

".... _You're unbelievable_...." I sighed while closing the record file. "I sure hope Mitsuru and the others return from the gallery with any clues....."

And before Taiga could say anything, a familiar ringing tune was heard and our attention was glued on a nearby PA system around that area.

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ahem! Your investigation time is up!! Alright, little detectives!!! It's time to move forward to the exciting '**Class Trial'** event!! Please head your way to the northwest of the hotel immediately!!_

"Seriously? It doesn't feel like we were given enough time at all!!" Taiga complained but hung his head in defeat nonetheless. "_I really hate going through these things_...."

_Yeah, suspecting others' innocence isn't a pleasant thing to do_. Especially to those you're closed with. I get why he's upset about it, but there's nothing else we can do about it. "We should get going, before that thing loses its patience with us...."

The three of headed to the direction of the hotel, meeting up with Nao, Hiroshi and Machi who looked just as distraught as we are. "Hey, hope you all found what you were looking for....." Hiroshi started. "We didn't find much... _**except for two things**_....."

"What is it.....?" Shoma prompted.

"W-We found... two of _**the small weights that came from the gymnasium**_....." Nao explained. "_One was used to break the window_, it was covered with a towel so we didn't knew it was the same thing like _the other one we found in the waste bin_...."

"_I took a quick shower while after the diving into dumpster, no worries_...." Machi pointed out. "_The one found in the bin was bloodied_ as hell..."

"_I don't even think you need to worry about smelling nice for a trial to damned someone's life to hell_...." exclaimed Hisao. "But with that detail, _as nonsensical as it is_, this case will be all over the place...."

"Last time we had trouble because of _everyone's alibi_, right?" Hiroshi hummed out. "This time, everyone is in different buildings so it's hard to know if they're being concrete about it....."

"But the reason why they go after Kiharu was because of _the secret motives_, right? Perhaps she have the culprit's motive which is why they went after her..." Machi theorized.

I can see the marksman's frame suddenly tensed up but the others didn't realized his sudden reaction. Quietly, I placed my hand on his back, mouthing, _'It's going to be okay' _as a reassurance. His shoulders relaxed a bit, his normal composure is back for now. All of us headed for the location of the class trial.

_'Right I should take this chance as well...'_ "Hisao, Nao, Hiroshi.... what was it you guys saw before the hooded figure left?" They are the only people I could get out of who've actually seen the culprit since Renma is still shaken up and refused to speak anything about it. 

"Can't provide much, little miss....." Hisao grumbled, clutching onto his right arm. "The spiritual man saw it all, I barely saw the figure just leaving from the back of the hotel.... probably carrying that said weight with them and used it to distract us while they dashed away...."

_"What happened to your helper-pal's limit?"_

_"Yeah, I got bored when you're not paying any attention to me so I take it back...." _

"Nao and I were right outside of the hotel when that crash happened...." Hiroshi explained his side of the story. "We saw them left in a hurried but since it's during the night, we can't take a good look on their face... we seriously froze when we heard that crashing noise so we didn't react enough to catch them...."

"B-But!!" Nao added in. "We can confirmed it's definitely a **_male_ **culprit!! T-Those figure proves it!! I-It looks like they're _wearing something that came from the gymnasium....?_"

_'Is it the same matting that we found in the storage room....?'_ There's two different mats found at the crime scene and the gymnasium, why even bother hiding the body under one as well? _'**Hisao's account** as well as **Nao and Hiroshi's account** prove to have more vital information....'_

While waiting for the others, Hisao came up with another question, "Say, Taiga, Sumi.... you two have those handheld guns that were at the shooting range originally right? _How effective they are?_"

"Ah, they don't do any real damage... they're just for practice rounds....." Taiga explained since it's his talent. "We both have _**tracer pellets**_, something to help us see in the dark, like they're essentially glow-in-the-dark kind. I also have _**marker pellets **_which just leaves a bit of dust or paint on the target...."

"Just for clarification...." Hisao took note of it. But I wonder why he suddenly brought up the air-soft guns that we both have. _'If he's going to suspect either of us, then we wouldn't hear the end of it even after the trial ends... well if it even ends with our favor on the line....'_

Right on time, the rest already arrived. Mitsuru skipped over to spill their findings, "One of the guns was taken out from its stand... the bolts were totally busted as well... the culprit probably used that as a murder weapon!"

"Wait, what?" Taiga frowned. "But that's-"

"Everyone, it's here....." Machi already called for the elevator and in an instant, it slowly filled up, the door closes we begin our descent. _It's moving even faster than before, must have been my imagination_. The medium right besides me still has that concerned look from before, _'What's going on? Why is he being like this?'_

Now that I think about it, _there's a lot of people getting indirectly involved in this case;_ _Renma _and _Hisao _who were just talking at reception area but one of them got injured while the other witnessed something that shocked him to his core. _Shoma _got knocked out without a reason and _Taiga, _if they found out, would get the blame because Kiharu got his _secret motive_.

Once we reached the class trial grounds, the beeping noise synchronized with the conclusion I thought up in my head, '.... _**They're trying place the blame on either of these people**_.....'

"Alrighty, my lovely guests!!! Time to make your rounds!!" Monomyou announces from their throne once again. This time, Kiharu and Hinako' podiums were replaced with their funeral photos; Hinako have a bloody animal paw on it and Kiharu has that usual 'X' mark.

Everyone went to their podium, slowly the tension keeps raising, looking at each other suspiciously, _'Here we are again. Doing the class trial.... condemning whoever killed Kiharu and set up this wild chase..... even though it's not obvious, we're still split from this morning argument. The secret motives has to be involved in some way or another. If not then they wouldn't target Kiharu specifically....'_

"My, my, not gonna raise a question or anything, my dear guests?" Monomyou snickers. "Everyone have became rather obedient children, huh? That's good enough for me! I had enough listening to you all acting all pansy just because you're too down and stubborn to do this!!"

"And you sure have a lot of energy to talk down on us when we're playing your game...." Hisao remarked. "After all, if we stopped, you're just gonna get bored, right? You will have to find your other source of entertainment once your beloved puppets doesn't do what you wanted...."

_'How are these two talking so normally...? The conman even addressed them directly'_

"True, true but I can't let a bunch of _meatbags_ go to waste!! All of you are so interesting yet so stupid at the same time!! I wanted to see some development too until I'm satisfied , you know!!" Monomyou fights back. "Anyways, I hope all of you would put up a good fight!! This class trial is going to be interesting!! Everyone, impressed your host, amaze us with your amazing detective skills!!"

_"We can now officially start the **Class Trial**!!! With your wits and strength on this nightly trial!! _ _**It's time to refute with all your might!!**"_

_'Must they do that as if this is a wrestling ring?' _I sighed, but look ahead on everyone else. _'But one of us did it... one of us killed Kiharu using the secret motives case as a possible cover-up. I may have my doubts but what matters is the outcome of this trial, with everyone's lives still intact. No matter what, we will reveal this shrouded mystery, **once and for all!**'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Asami Mitsuru  
[ Title ] Ultimate Cosmetologist  
[ Height ] 163 cm  
[ Weight ] 54 kg  
[ Chest ] 51 cm  
[ Blood Type ] A  
[ D.O.B ] 1st July  
[ Likes ] Oddly Colored Hair Bands And Beautiful Women  
[ Dislikes ] Alcoholic Smell


	12. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Deadly Life - Trial I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little by little, more light is shed onto the odd evidence. And lie by lie, did someone shed off their tough exterior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally added like a different mechanic while writing this but I didn't changed it because I thought it's a neat accidental idea.  
The dawning realization of describing how trial ground changed during Scrum Debate was really something else so I decided to skip that and just went into the debate lol
> 
> __________________________________
> 
> AGAIN, anything murderous way that's stated in this chapter might be wrong and please don't take my explanation as facts, I CAN BE REALLY DUMB.

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"_As per usual_....." Monomyou started, "... this class trial will determine on who is the killer of _**Satoshi Kiharu**_, the _**Ultimate Archaeologist**! _A bright and spunky girl who perished way too soon! Well now, I don't want to waste anytime explaining the rules all over again now!! _Vote for the correct culprit and **they will be punished**!! Vote wrongly then **everyone's punished except for the killer**!! Now then, **let us all hear your verdicts!**!_"

"It's safe to assume that not everyone were near the scene of the crime or the body before the announcement, right??" Hiroshi begins first, pointing out the obvious. "The first three people who discovered the body were _**Taiga**_, _**Renma**_ and _**Sumire** _so that's an automatic clear right there..."

"We can also clear the people who were at the hotel for the whole evening...." Machi added, listing the said people. "_**Hisao**_, _**Amane**_ and _**Shoma**_, I don't think they would even have any time to commit a murder and came back in one clean slate...."

"So the people under suspicion are the ones who are in other buildings, _**Nao**_, _**Hiroshi**_, **_Machi_**, _**Higura**_, _**Saku**_and _**myself**_, correct?" Hibiki asked.

"_Now hold on_, _everyone_...." I stopped them before they could go even further. I'm glad they're getting ahead with this but I'm afraid their sudden rush of judgement may overturn things a bit. "It's too hasty to even singled out everyone like that.... There's also other things that we must be concern about such as _the incident at the hotel_...."

"_An incident at the hotel_....?" Saku sounds unsure. "What happened at the hotel? Did someone else got hurt?"

"_God, I wish that wasn't the case_...." Hisao sighed, showing off his bandaged arm. "Renma and I spotted the culprit near the hotel and before anyone gave chase, they threw something at the window as a distraction while they quickly left the scene...."

"Why the hell they would go to the hotel after they fuckin' _shanked someone?_" Higura spat out in usual tone. "Are they like brain-dead or something?"

"Could it be they're trying to _retrieve something_...?" Mitsuru added. "Like, _something they left at the hotel that they forgot to take_....?"

_'The reason why the culprit went to the hotel lies in one of the groups' findings, but it's better listen to their statements first....'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

  
"What else could they possibly go back to the hotel for?" Higura argued. "It's not like _**they left something important there!!**_"

"Could there be a_ possible second murder weapon?_" Mitsuru added. "I mean, I find the _**dismounted gun at the shooting range**_ rather odd....."

"Like what Taiga found....." Amane commented, "... **_Kiharu was shot_**, right? There's nothing odd about it....."

"Perhaps they were _discarding an important clue to this case_...." Hibiki pondered.

"_Can the culprit be really careless to leave it_ be though......?" Nao asked. "_It may just be for a distraction_ when they got caught sneaking away..."

**( _BREAK!_ )**

* * *

"_Hibiki's right_...." I spoke up. "Nao, Hiroshi and Machi found _**couple of weights from the gymnasium**_ at the _hotel's reception area_ and _in the waste disposal bin behind the hotel_..... only one of the weights was discarded and that one was _**bloody**_...."

"One of them was used to distract Hisao and Renma....." Nao exclaimed, her stuttering seemingly gone since the trial started. "And we're not so sure about the source of the blood of one of the weights but-!! It's probably used for the _**blunt force trauma**_ part in the record file, right?!"

"Yeah, you don't need an investigator to tell you that...." Hisao smirked. "It's kind of obvious, you know? Even a _stuck-up know-it-all_ like Amane can see it from miles away...."

_"Who are you calling-!?"_

"_**Anyways**_, the fact that the culprit was first spotted at the hotel still doesn't make sense. But before we get into that, there's something else I wanna talk about...." Hibiki interrupted before Amane could even finish his insult. "Because of what's stated in the record file.... _**Kiharu's original placement of death**_ _**was between the gymnasium and the shooting range**_, right? How did the culprit transported the body from the obscure spot to the gymnasium _with not a single drop of blood on the walkway?_"

"Right, just like the previous case....." Machi recalled back from the first grisly trial. "But don't you think the record file could be possibly wrong and that she got killed near the gymnasium?"

"_Not possible_....." This is the first time I heard Renma's voice since the trial started, confident and in control_ for now_. "Monomyou wouldn't give a faulty information since _**they wanted the trial to be fair for**_ _**both detectives and the culprit here**_...."

"Right, right!! I play no favorites here!!" Monomyou butts in for a while. "I just wanted to entertain everyone equally!!"

"Hey, shut it!!!" Higura snarled at the cat host. "You're not helping us at all here!!!"

"Gura, please, your yelling doesn't even help us to progress further as well...." Saku sighed, fingers visibly twitching. "But maybe they just _covered the body with something _when they were moving it?"

"Is there even something like that here to fully cover a blood-dripping body?" Hiroshi asked.

_'Something used to prevent blood from spilling while moving the body between two location with such a long distance.... there could be only one evidence that fit that statement....'_

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"_Should we really trust what our host wrote in the file?_" said Machi. "For all we know, they unintentionally make this case even difficult by _**giving us a false report**_....."

"Hard to say _where Kiharu was killed in the dark_....." Shoma added. "It's hard to _**rely on our sigh**_**_t_**....."

"So_** she was actually killed near the gymnasium then?**"_ Nao asked.

"Giving the circumstances..." Hisao added in. "It's still possible that _they just carried over the body **with some sort of sheet**_...."

**( _BREAK!_ )**

* * *

"I hope you remember that we check out the storage room in the gymnasium during the investigation, _Sao-chin_....." I can see him cringed in his podium as Machi and Shoma almost let out a laugh. "We found a _**crumpled-up bloody gymnasium mat**_ in the storage room.... recently used as well since the blood is still fresh....."

"Huh!?" Saku looked shocked. "I-I thought the mat covering the body would the one that's used to carry the body!"

"_T-Too convenient_...." Hisao recovered from the nickname slipped-up. "Besides, the one covering the body looked too clean... and _the bloody one looked eerily similar to the clean mat that's on the body_...."

"But how did that ended up in the gymnasium, though?" Hiroshi asked. "The gymnasium should locked when nighttime hits, right? No one's even allowed to stay in there_ ten minutes prior to nighttime_...."

"That's right...." Higura stated. "When Mitsuru and I were hanging out at the bar, we were kicked out like _minutes_ _before nighttime_ yesterday!!"

"We arrived at the gymnasium a few minutes _before the nighttime announcement hits._...." Taiga pondered. "If someone did enter there, we could have seen them leaving the front entrance....."

_'How did the bloody mat ended up in the storage room? Hisao and I already tested that out, it's the-'_

"The storage room's_** small horizontal window**_...." I answered. "The culprit must have tossed it in from the outside since the window can only be opened from the inside and can easily be closed from the outside. They probably propped it open before they commit the murder...."

"Then, wouldn't the suspects be someone who were at the gymnasium earlier....?" Machi asked. "That would be the people who's in charge of the cleaning duty; **_Higura_**, _**Saku **_and _**Hiroshi**_....."

"Alright, hold it right there!! You got a lot of guts to suspect us!!!" Higura sneered. "We've only opened the window because we don't wanna get suffocated to death by dust, you know!!"

"_If that actually happened, then you truly are a weak person_....." Renma remarked. "Anyhow, it's still too hasty to boiled it down to just those three.... anyone could have enter the gymnasium and open the window......"

"_That's true_...." I can't deny that possibility, it's also possible that the culprit just pined the blame onto Higura because of his hostile attitude towards the secret motives. "_Anyone can take an advantage of the gymnasium lack of security so it's not right to suspect only those three_....."

_But there's still **that possibility**...._

"Ah! There's one thing that's bothering me.... Mitsuru!!" Nao tried to grab the cosmetologist's attention. "When you were investigating the shooting range... you said there's a _**dismounted gun**_, right....? You commented that _**it's odd**_ but you didn't really clarify that afterwards......"

"Hmmm..... yeah...." Mitsuru said. "I don't know.... there's just something about it doesn't make sense......"

"But it should be obvious that it's the murder weapon, right?" Hibiki pointed out. "Not all of us are skilled with firearms.... there's only one person who has that talent. Right,_ **Yoshimune Taiga**, the **Ultimate Marksman**_?"

Taiga froze, his face paled almost immediately, "_I-I_....."

"Usually when people stuttered, it obviously mean they're guilty of it!!" Higura fights back. "_Face it, gun-freak_. _You're the only who could do it!!_"

_I doubt it_, I seriously doubt that statement. Even if it's just my personal feeling doing the deduction, there's no way Taiga would done something as cruel as this, _'Plus.... he was clearly there.... he has an alibi-'_

Hisao stared right at me, he also know there's something wrong with what Hibiki said. Both of us knew Taiga wouldn't do it because of that _**one fact**_. _We just needed Higura and Hibiki to realized that_..... **_so_**....

Hibiki continued on with her statement, "Taiga, I understand how frightened you are_ but you must admi-_"

**(**_** DUO ARGUED: Mafuyu Hisao & Hoshino Sumire**_ \- _"You've got that wrong!"_ \- **)**

* * *

"No, _it's not possible for Taiga to use it, even to commit the murder_...." I stated. "_And it's highly unlikely it was used as a murder weapon as well_...."

"Excuse me...?" Hibiki frowned.

"Wait a second, you're related to the forces....." Higura pointed accusingly. "_You also know how to use them!! So it's either **you** or **Taiga **who did it!!!_"

"_Well, someone's really eager to vote someone and let everyone else die_....." Hisao rubbed his forehead out of frustration. "That's not the point, you moron. Both of you are wrong thinking that _the gun at the shooting range is the murder weapon here_...."

"How so? We weren't way off from thinking that it might be....." Hibiki explained. "After all, Kiharu is said to be_ shot at least three time_, right? _And the only thing available at hand is **the dismounted gun at shooting range**_..."

"That's right!! And there's only one likely suspect and it's _**Yoshimune Taiga**_, the _**Ultimate Marksman!!**_" Higura added.

"The guns used at the shooting range are all filled with _**rubber bullets**_..." I refuted back. "It's still _a small chance_ that it can actually killed someone...."

"_Well, can't know the exact velocity for sure_...." Hisao shrugged. "But know this; there's no way those kind of bullets even _**pierce through the human skin on the first try**_. They can cause hematoma but there were clearly _**bullets wounds on Kiharu**_, remember?"

"_Velocity or whatever!!_ It's still the only **_a_**_**vailable weapon that counted as a murder weapon!!**_" Higura yelled.

"When I was at the bar area, I clearly heard gunshots....that's no doubt the _**shots fired was from the dismounted gun from the shooting range!!**_" Hibiki remarked.

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ -)**

* * *

"You're mistaken... _**t**_**_he shots being fired wasn't from that dismounted gun you guys initially thought_**...." I finally managed to convinced the other two to listened first. "Rather, it was from_** t****he air-soft firearms that both Taiga and I have**_...."

"Air-soft what now?" Higura stammered. "What kind of bullshit name you're throwing out this time??"

"_Air-soft gun_ is something they usually used in a paintball fight....." Nao thankfully explained in my place. "I made a study on this as well. They've used spherical projectiles that contains either both bio-degradable and non-lethal materials, right?"

"The projectiles that those two used aren't harmful at all...." Hisao then shared his insight next. "They're just _**glow-in-the-dark**_ and _**marked the target with dust or paint **_kind of pellets.... and those are the only things that these two have in hand...."

"Then... what's with the dismounted gun problem....?" Hiroshi looked confused by all the revelations. "If those shots we heard were harmless then why is that left at the shooting range-"

"_**May I please say something first**_...." Taiga raised his voice, he's clearly in distress, trying to speak up but the accusations overwhelmed him. Now, he can finally speak up, "I don't really get what Mitsuru meant by finding the dismounted gun...."

"Huh, what about it that you don't get?" Saku asked.

"Because I was at the shooting range and just left when Sumi was chasing down the culprit....." Taiga explained. "After checking on all the guns in the shooting range, before even leaving and encountering the possible culprit..... _**none of the guns were even dismounted or left on the ground**_..."

_"**What!?**"_

Everyone shouted in unison that their voices actually echoed back in my ears. I unconsciously bit my lower lip as this heavy feeling from before start piling up, _'So it's just a distraction...? No, why go as far as doing that? Was the culprit seriously try to pin the blame on Taiga....?'_

"Right, that's why that thing bothered me so much!!" Mitsuru snapped her fingers. "The barrels of the gun is still full!"

"It's still possible the culprit just filled it in after used it but...." Amane added. "If Taiga confirmed that none of guns were even used before him.... then that means...."

"The culprit used a different gun that's not from the shooting range...." said Renma. "And _**that thing was just a decoy**_...."

"_This culprit really wants us to suspect Taiga_ that heavily...." Saku wondered. "_Why is that?_"

Taiga sighed, scratching at his exposed neck, _he's really going to say it_, "It's obvious why they want you all to suspect me, not sure how they know **_it_** but.... it's probably because of **_that_**....._** it's because Kiharu has my secret motive**_...."

_"Taiga......" _I'm getting really worried. In the end, he has to come out clean with it.

"_Your secret motiv_e....? How did you know that she has it...?" Shoma's eyes widened. "Ah... _**she told you**_...?"

"I wasn't bothered by it...." Taiga looking sideways. "Like, I didn't mind if she told anyone else about it as well because it's way out of my control on what she's going to do with it..... but _**please believe me**_, _**I didn't kill her**.... not even the secret motive can tempt me to do anything like that_....."

_"Oh, trust me, we all knew deep inside that you're not the killer..."_

_"Huh?"_ Taiga looked at the conman, confusion plastered all over his face as if he didn't believed his words.

"No matter how many evidence they provide that's pointing toward you....." Hisao became serious with his words. "_There's no way you're the killer_...."

"Why are you so sure about that?" Amane asked.

"Alright!! Time for me to play my part then!! Little miss, remember what I've said right after I professed my burning admiration for you?" Hisao teasingly asked. "It's really important, you know!!"

"_**You what!?**_"

Ignoring Mitsuru's sudden outburst, wild looks from others and excessive actions, the question that Hisao asked during the investigation was, "_**Is there even a need for a search for the murder weapon?**_"

"Yeah... _and do you understand why I ask you that question at that particular moment...?"_

_At the particular moment, at the spot where Kiharu was killed, near the_\- It suddenly clicked, "_Hisao, you son of a bitch_...."

"_Ohhhhh_...." Hisao grinned. "You actually didn't all this time!! I thought you would have get it by now!! I was very explicit about it this entire time, you know!!"

I curled my hand into a fist, this guy, this fucking guy. _One day, I will beat his ass and I will enjoy it immensely_, "_**There's no murder weapon to begin with**_...."

"_N-No murder weapon!!?_" Hiroshi exclaimed in shock. "I-Is that even possible!?"

"Ms. Investigator, you better explain this properly...." Amane furiously demanded. "I will not accept such an outrageous answer!!"

"S-Sumi... I don't get you....." Shoma cowered a bit. "This critter doesn't understand what you're saying....."

"Ah, geez... no wonder Taiga was so scared speaking up this entire time!! It's because all of you keep on jumping onto others, demanding answers when you didn't leave some space for them to breathe!!" said Hisao. "Dear little miss need some time to think about it, you know? And because of that, I will gladly answer in her place!"

"_**Don't**_..." I warned him, before he filled his statement with lies. "The reason why we can't find the exact location where Kiharu was killed and the exact weapon used to kill her.... _was because both of those things were not done by anyone of us_..... _**the real cause of death was those automaton soldiers**_....."

"S-So....." Renma tries to piece it together. "... _Makes sense_.... _**they're the only ones that are equipped with real ammunition**_. And we can't get too close to the real crime scene because if we stepped too near the _**restricted area**_.... _then we will share the same fate as Kiharu_...."

"Huh?" Monomyou tilted their head. "Whatcha' mean _**restricted area?**_ There's no such thing!! I don't remember anything like that existed in their coding!!"

"Yup, you got that right, little kitten!!" Hisao continued. "The real danger zone is _when you're too near those soldiers which truly sets them off!! _Each soldier only fired once, isn't that right Taiga?"

"Yes... I actually test that out during our first day here with Hiroshi....." Taiga confirms it. "I ran past by them but I initially thought that it's because I went into some restricted area because of their odd range gap... so it's true that _**the**_ _**real trigger here is when we're within five meters of their range**_....."

"So when you said you were playing with them from the last trial...." Hibiki remembered something else. "_You were actually_....."

"Wow, you actually remember something as minor as that, Hibiki?" Hisao snickers. "That's amazing, maybe you're actually useful rather than making accusations like these poor excuse of said detectives!!!"

"Ummm.... but then that would complicated things a bit more drastically, right...?" Saku pointed out. "If it's by those things then... _who would we actually vote for....?_"

Right, if it's a suicide, Monomyou said they would present a_** substitute**_ or _someone who pushed them to do it_. Then, it should be similar in this situation, _quite literally_, "_**It would be someone who tricked them into getting themselves killed**_...."

"Oho! Thank you, dear investigator, for answering the question for your dear host!!!" Monomyou sniffed. "Such kindness!! Not worthy for your despairful host!!! I would give you all kisses if I could!!"

"_Sorry, but I would rather die in a pit to even receive anything like that from you_....." Mitsuru cringed a bit. "But this is getting weirder and weirder...... I mean, how else are we gonna cornered the culprit at this point...?"

"The list doesn't even go down at all...." Hiroshi admits. "Anyone, _excluding the people stayed at the hotel and the people who discovered the body_, can still be a suspect and we were't even near halfway there....."

"Should we just play the blame game then?" Hisao suggested. "I mean, it's much more fun and easier when we throw accusations at each other until one of them slipped up....."

"_Anyone can lie, Sao-chin_....." I refuted without hesitation. Monomyou wasn't joking when they said this case is a tricky one. It took us too long to determine what's the cause of death actually is. Now, trying to find who's the culprit has become really difficult. But there's one thing that bothers me right after Taiga said about the secret motive, "_Who else knew about each other's secret motive?_"

"Is that still relevant to this case....?" Hiroshi asked

"If the culprit _actually uses Taiga's secret motive as a cover-up_... _**then Kiharu must have told someone else about it**_... _**someone who could possibly be our culprit**_...." I explained, I couldn't imagined the archaeologist would carelessly reveal someone else's secret like that but the fact that she's siding with Higura before, then _**it's possible**_. "_Because Kiharu sided with Higura to reveal each other's secret motives_....."

"Are you saying Gura is to blame?" Saku narrowed his eyes. "That's too far-fetched, wouldn't you think?"

"I don't know where you getting that idea from but I don't like what you're hinting at!!" Higura gritted his teeth. "_I will tear you a new asshole if you're gonna corner me like that again!!_"

_Resisting as usual, I have to-_

"_**Kiharu revealed it to the group**_...."

"What...?" I stared wide-eyed at Hibiki, who was Higura's side as well, with the revelations she suddenly spouted. Everyone else also reacted no differently.

"I don't want this to escalate into something dramatic and getting side-tracked because of it......" Hibiki confessed. "So it's better if I said it right here, right now..... _**Kiharu told us about Taiga's secret motive and so did everyone else in the group**_....."

"_Ah.... so it's true. _**_Y_****ou guys are just a bunch of spineless cowards as well**...." Hisao's tone shifted once again, cold and low. "_**You really don't give two shits about others**_....."

"I wasn't on-board with telling others about the motives to begin with...." Hibiki defended herself. "But I know it's not something I could ignore it just like that. Someone's bound to make a move in that group.... _to think everyone else actually revealed it to each other was **disheartening **to say the least_..... which is why I'm the only one who didn't reveal my partner's secret motive in the group....."

_Mitsuru, Nao, Hiroshi and Higura all looked betrayed_,_** but I don't get it**_. How could they be so careless about it? Did they seriously think it would turn out just fine if they spilled it out? _Were they really being serious about it being the only way to prevent blackmailing from happening?_

"And so that cat's out of the bag.... _but no surprises there_....." Hisao was the first one who break the silence. "Geez, I wonder what's that thing I've said during yesterday's feud? Something about _'trust'_? Oh, that's right! _**How are we gonna trust you guys' word now that we knew you guys did that?**_"

"Y-You!!!" Higura stammered, clearly loss for words but still trying to fight back.

"Higura, _**enough**_....." Hibiki tried to confront of him. "The more you tried to defend yourself, the more you're making a bigger fool of yourself. If you truly care about the outcome of this trial more than your own pride... _**please let us all admit it**_...."

".... _Fine... be my fuckin' guest_....."

"Even till the bitter end....." Hibiki sighed dejectedly. "I'm sure not everyone else in this group is happy to admit so I will just said it right now in their place. _**Kiharu has Taiga's motive**_, that's confirmed. Even though I didn't revealed it, but _**I have Sumi's motive**_... _I pity your condition, Sumi. I hope you're doing well_...."

_So, they're using **that**. It's a lot more tamer than I thought._

"_**Nao has Hiroshi's motive**_ while _**Hiroshi has Kiharu's motive**_..... both of them have nothing too serious...." the opera singer continued. ".... But _**Higura has Renma's secret motive**_...."

"_Just as I though_t....." Renma's eyes twitched, his worrisome look from the investigation is back. "I was afraid that your group has something to do with this..... I was wondering what that scrap of paper doing at the scene...."

_Could this be related to his sudden change of attitude just now?_ "Renma, what did you say? What _'scrap of paper'?_....."

Renma doesn't waste any time, he pulled out the said scrap of paper out of his pocket with the words saying, _'I know about your petty lie about your **Ultimate talent**. I will tell everyone else if you interfere the investigation and class trial'_

"I didn't want to say anything _until the person responsible for this note came forward_ or _when the secret motive is mentioned again_...." said Renma. "_But this truly shines more light to it, didn't it_....?"

Right now, everyone turned their attention towards the graphic designer, now silent and expressionless. _'The way he keeps on pushing back on others from before makes sense.... but why does it feel... incomplete? Why does it feels like there's more to it?'_

"Well, Higura.... all the clues and your careless attitude lead the spotlight to you...." said Amane, glaring at the designer. "_Is it your doing this entire time? Did you intentionally mislead us in this trial?_"

"I can sense you're feeling restless from all of this but...." Renma stated. "_I won't be satisfied until you revealed your intention for using my secret motive against me_....."

"Gura... that's not true.... right?" Saku pleaded. "_You're not actually the culprit... right?_"

_"**No, he's not**"_ I cut in. "There's something completely wrong here.... not all of it makes sense just yet....."

"Does it matter at this point?" Hisao yawned, looking irritated at this point. "We're all getting tired on this late night trial so it's best to vote ahead while found our suspect..... It's obvious that Higura was the one who left that note to blackmail Renma to not give a helping hand in this one so it's safe to assume he tricked Kiharu, right?"

"_Do you want to get us killed?_" I hissed back, unintentionally but it did jerk the conman back to take this seriously. "I don't believe Higura would planted that note just to scare Renma away from the investigation....." 

"And don't you think all of that is too convenient?" Machi refuted, siding with me. "Look, Higura may be dense but he's not an idiot to go around and do something like that...."

"I wanna believe in Gura's innocence!!" Saku loudly exclaimed. "There must be something else wrong in this case and we haven't discuss most of the evidences we found as well!!"

"_The critter believes it's a fake_......." Shoma slowly raised his hand up. "The real culprit tried to set up the creative child and lead us to our doom..... I'm sure _the siren_ and _the colorful puffer-fish_ thought so too..."

Both Hibiki and Mitsuru nodded, it took me a while to realized Shoma was referring to the cosmetologist as the latter.

"But even so....." Nao wasn't too convinced about it. "Is it even safe to give a clear for him... _when there's this many evidences pointing towards him_...?"

"It's too early to determine...." Hibiki tried to calm everyone down. "It's best to rationally think about it without any disagreement-"

"_**Hold it right there!!**_"

"_Whaaaaaaaat?!_ Did my little cute ears perked up and heard that correctly?!" Monomyou interrupted. "_**Disagreement**_, you guys said?! Well then, you guys are in for a reaaaaaaaal treat!! _Ladies and Gentlemen_! Your amazing host would like you all to proudly participate in this luxury hotel's exclusive _morphenomenal trial grounds!!_"

"Those.... _those are completely different words that shouldn't be meshed together like that_...." _What does that mean and what's the purpose of it? _"What are we going to do while....?"

"Basically it's like debate!! Which is also the name of the said trial ground, _**Scrum Debate**!" _Monomyou explained_. _"Everyone will be split into two different teams with opposing statement or opinions!! Then both team will go after each other's throat!! _Ripping each other's statement with their own!! Just like a true debate competition!!_"

"_Oh god_, _middle school memories_...." Mitsuru shuddered. "This wouldn't end well...."

"Oh hush, no one cares what you think!!" Monomyou stood up as a button appeared right before them. "Better get ready because this will surely give you sickness!!" and just like that, the host pressed the button.

_'But this means that we could convinced other that Higura is not actually the culprit, right?'_ I balled my hand into a fist. _'Then we will have to carefully sort out everyone's doubts and provide everything that we need to discuss even further...... we shouldn't make any mistakes here! Not now!'_

* * *

**( Scrum Debate )**

**( Question - ** _"Is Higura really the culprit?" **)**_

( "_Higura is the culprit!_" - _Hisao, Nao, Renma, Hiroshi, Amane, Taiga_ )

( "_Higura is not the culprit!_" _Sumire, Shoma, Hibiki, Machi, Mitsuru, Saku, Higura_ )

"The **_note _**placed on the body could only be done by none other than Higura, correct?" Renma pointed out.

"Any other critter could possibly placed that _**note**_ as a mislead evidence...." Shoma answered.

"Wasn't it their _**group**'s_ idea to reveal the secret motives in the first place?" Hisao asked smugly.

"Anyone in our _**group**_ could possibly take advantage of that too, you know?" I fight back.

"His hostile **_attitude_** towards Taiga proved to be sufficient, no?" Amane exclaimed.

"Blaming on one person's _**attitude** _is not a satisfying reason to suspect someone for murder..." Hibiki shot them down.

"But shouldn't this be enough **_evidences _**to suspect him now?" Nao asked timidly.

"Not yet, there's still a lot more **_evidences _**we haven't gone through!" Machi argued.

"Is it wise to blindly trust Higura's **_words _**after what he and his group did?" Taiga demanded.

"If those **_words_** can provide any breakthrough in this trial, then it's best to hear out his side first!" Saku reassured them.

"Is it really wrong to suspect him as the _**blackened**?_" Hiroshi asked.

"He may not be the **_blackened_** but that doesn't mean we're ruling out his involvement!" Mitsuru answered.

**( ** _ **BREAK!** _ ** \- ** _"**This is our answer!**"_ **)**

* * *

"Everyone, it's still wrong to completely went ahead and vote for blindly.... " I said with confidence. "Because there's still a lot of things that doesn't make sense in a bigger picture.... _**mostly the note**_....."

_"The note....?"_ Nao tilted her head.

"While it's true Higura have Renma's secret motive," I continued on. ".... It's still possible that someone within their group could have taken advantage of that and waited till the class trial for someone to bring it up.... _and that Higura may have no idea about it_.... right, Higura?"

Again, no reply. The graphic designer just stood there in silence, not even moving a single muscle.

_'Come on... why aren't you saying anything!? Where's that tough defense you always had!? What's holding you back-' _The real reason why the secret motive existed in the first place suddenly came to mind, why they were told to us instead, "_Higura.... **did the culprit blackmailed you to take the blame?**_"

Just like that, he flinched, that confirms it. "So..... you didn't write that note? Right?" I asked, my voice softened, something I haven't done for a long time.

"..... _No_...." Higura quietly muttered. "I didn't know that note existed... I didn't know it was with her to begin with....."

"_With her_.... you mean....." I turned to questioned Renma first. "Renma, where did you find that note actually?"

"It was right underneath Kiharu's body.... right near her neck actually....." Renma confessed. "I just saw the edge of the paper poking out, I could have missed that entirely....."

"Well, little miss....." Hisao asked. "What's the conclusion after hearing all of that?"

_'The conclusion.... we're still not even halfway there.... but we know for certain that..... the runaway hooded figure that the people at the hotel saw was....'_

....

..............

"_**Mochizuki Higura**_.... _you were the runaway figure from the hotel, right?"_

_....._

_"Yeah...." _he lost his strength to fight back, he just looked _tired_. "_It was me.... but that's all I can say right now....._"

_'"That's all he can say right now"? So someone else is truly threatening him to do this.....'_ I eyed on everyone in their podium right now._ 'Someone who's willing to put up this elaborate scheme and forced Higura to take the fall.... but I'm not gonna let that happened. I will surely bring out the culprit from its hiding no matter what....'_

**[ _Class Trial - INTERMISSION -_ ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Ishimoto Nao  
[ Title ] Ultimate Ghostwriter  
[ Height ] 157 cm  
[ Weight ] 43 kg  
[ Chest ] 40 cm  
[ Blood Type ] AB  
[ D.O.B ] 1st April  
[ Likes ] Retro Video Games And Floral-Patterned Outfits  
[ Dislikes ] Winter 
> 
> ___________________________
> 
> I would really like to call this chapter by its actual name, "Sumire bully Hisao for the entire chapter and vice-versa"


	13. Chapter II: Little Piper March: Deadly Life - Trial II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "With twists and turns that came with a price, another mask fall from a new height!"

[ **_Class Trial - RESUMED -_** ]

"_Wowie!!!_ I hope you folks out there can keep up with this trial because this has gotten way more interesting than the last case!!! Nyahaha!!" Monomyou let out their bellow laughter. "_I wonder who!!_ I wonder who has the balls to pull this out of their asses and deceived everyone!!! It's just a_ nya_tter of time till they figure out who it is!!_ Ackh- I stuttered!!_"

"So we have the runaway fugitive's identity confirmed... which is **_Mochizuki Higura_**, the _**Ultimate Graphic Designer**_...." Machi went over the details we've covered so far. "_He helped the real culprit to disposed one of the evidence_s but once Renma and the others saw him, he panicked and threw _one of the evidence at the window as part of his distraction_......"

"This critter here thinks it doesn't go like that......" Shoma said in usual tone as he managed to keep up with events that transpired. "If it's too hollow and dark.... _the sketchy critter would have managed to escape from the den_ but.... for them to get easily noticed..... _the critter must be too near to the window to start with_....."

"Ummm..... Sumi, Ren, translate that for us, please....?" It seems like Hiroshi, Mitsuru and Amane still doesn't understand what the biologist is saying.

"He actually brought up a good point and I was about to say something similar to that as well....." Renma answered. "If you all remembered the layout of the hotel outside.... _the small pool area is surrounded by really dense trees and shrubs_.... if Higura doesn't want to get caught, _then he would have went through them in the first place_. But he didn't, because Hisao and I _saw him right near the window_...."

"_First thing first_...." Hisao pointed out the glaring point in that scenario. "If he were to dispose of the evidence, then the bloody weight would have been alright and he's good-to-go.... instead, he trying to dispose _another weight that is totally clean_ and he decided to used it as a Frisbee instead so that shit doesn't make sense...."

_'The only reason I could think of why Higura did all of that instead of going into hiding was....'_

.........

.......

"It's because _**he's trying to lead us to Kiharu's body**_....." That's the only logical conclusion I've came up with. "Because of the _blackmail_, Higura is only _**an unwilling accomplice**_. He never wanted to cooperate with the culprit to begin with..."

"Which means....." said Hibiki. "If Higura didn't plant that note,_ then the **culprit must have done it**_....."

"But the people who knew about the secret motive would be _Higura's group_...." stated Taiga. "Then... _**the culprit must be one of them**_...."

"That's too early to say, wouldn't it?" Hibiki narrowed her eyes, almost feeling threatened by the accusation. "Like I've said, I didn't revealed Sumi's motive because I don't think it's the right thing to do.... and I don't want to believe that Mitsuru, Nao and Hiroshi could even convinced Higura to do something as absurd as this...."

"Y-Yeah!! I'm just as confused as you guys are!!" Hiroshi exclaimed nervously. "This whole trial would have end a lot quicker if I was the one planning the whole thing!!"

"There's.... a lot of flaws in this culprit's plan....." Nao admitted. "If it were me..... I would have skipped the unnecessary steps....."

"Not only that.... I don't think we would even want to mess with someone as dangerous as _Renma_...." That's an odd detail that Mitsuru added, _what did Higura said about the medium?_

"Sorry but I don't want to think about how a hot-headed idiot like Higura would ever be intimidated by a poor man's dumb and dumber...." Hisao snorted, his attention turned to the medium with curiosity in his eyes. "What's more interesting is Renma's secret motive. Hey! _would you mind telling us about that?_"

_"Sao-chin, now's not the time-"_

"Ah... I see what you're trying to get out of me now....." Renma closed his eyes as he exhaled deeply. "I was wondering what's with the sudden friendly atmosphere you've emitted towards me.... _so this was your whole plan_....."

"Yeah... it's not like I wanna be friends with a freak like you anyway...." Hisao confessed. "After all... _who on earth wanted to be friends with a lunatic like you?_"

"_**Hisao, enough**_...." Shoma and I both warned him. 

Renma chuckles at our defensive nature, "I appreciate you two defending me but unfortunately, I have to come clean with my confession as well if it helps the trial..... Alright then, I'm sorry everyone but I have deceived you all, _I am not the **Ultimate Medium**_...."

_What was that? A fake Ultimate?_

"Please refer to me by my first and actual Ultimate title...." Renma admitted, a hand on his chest. "_**Oki Renma**_, the _**Ultimate Mortician**_......"

"_You're a what!?_" That wasn't what I expected at all. I thought he would be someone dangerous, _like the said fake player Hisao told me_, but... **_a mortician_**...? _I mean, his morbid jokes and description about his family work now makes sense but still-_

"Yes but he worded that really weirdly. Can't believe you're that bad with words, Renma!" Hisao said nonchalantly. "Renma specializes with handling dead bodies but with an overbearing guilt, he abandoned that talent to focus on _his spiritual side of things that we knew him as _.... hence, _**Oki Renma actually have two Ultimate talents**_...."

"_It's a title that I felt remorse of identifying with it_...." Renma sighed, saddened by his own revelation. "_It brings me nothing but grief_..."

"Wait a minute!!!" Hiroshi cuts in all of the sudden. "_That's your secret motive!? **That's way different that what we were told!!**_"

"What....?" the medium, now known as the mortician, furrowed his brows. "Is that not what Monomyou picked in order to pursue me or anyone into killing? If people knew that about me, they would be very wary that I could potentially murder someone...... _except I wouldn't dare to do so_......."

"Yup, yup!! That's correct!!" Monomyou confirms it from their throne. "Our cool-spirited actor, _Oki Renma_, here is a wildcard!! Two Ultimate talents and both of them are terribly scary as hell!! _**That's his secret motive!!**_"

"That's...... _then_....." Hibiki sounded unsure, she could even say anything until Nao said it. "_We were lied to_.... _Higura lied about Renma's secret motive to his group!!_"

"Hold on a second, Higura!!" Mitsuru shrieked. "What the hell is going on!? Why did you lie and said that Renma is some psychopath who murdered people before this killing game happened!?"

"_Wha_\- I never murdered anyone in my life!!" _Renma, why do you look so offended about that instead? Ask Higura about the last one!! _"I get my talent might make everyone feel uneasy.... but accusing me for murder before entering here is way too far!!"

"That's because you never killed anyone in your life. Which proves my theory is correct all along...." Hisao snickers, bring his hand to his mouth like a mischievous child. "That _**Higura having Renma's motive is nothing but a fake fact.**_ _**He actually have the culprit's secret motive**_...."

"_**The culprit's!?**_"

"Geez, how much time must we waste explaining stuffs all over again??" Hisao rolled his eyes back. "I'm getting really tired piggy-backing you all here so I'm gonna go _'Too long, don't have much time_' to you all now except you guys figure it out from here on. Now, explain this to me; _**why did the culprit specifically choose Higura?**_ If they were aiming for **_a_**_**ny weakling**_, Mitsuru and Nao would have been a better choice, right?"

Right, if the culprit would want to get away quickly, either of those two would have been fine. For Higura to be chosen as an accomplice, there has to be a reason why they aiming for a tough-headed person to be their helper, "Because of your theory, right? **_Higura has the culprit's secret motiv_**_**e**_.... To keep him from spouting their motive. As an exchange, the culprit gave him another person's motive as to replace their own...."

"Hahaha!! Dear little miss strike gold once again!!" Hisao cheered. "I knew you could do it!! Now, now!! _Can you guess who's secret motive that the culprit had and gave to Higura?_"

_'Well.... there can only be one person.... And now that we know, that person is...'_

.....

.....

"_**Oki Renma**_...... _**the culprit has Oki Renma's secret motive**_....." I answered, it was a rather slow process for my think about the whole thing but in the end, _something doesn't add up_. "_Hold on a second_..... if that's true... that _the culprit did planted the note framing Higura_ to begin with and _made him lie to his group_....... _**and if nobody in that group even knew about Renma's Ultimate talent lie on that paper**_..... _**then**_...."

"_**The culprit instead is in one of our group!!**_ _The group that_ _**didn't want any of our secret motives to be revealed!!!**_" Hisao exclaimed loudly and somehow proudly to himself. "Can you believe that, little miss!? There's a snake in our group!! We must weed them out as soon as possible!!"

"You made Renma confessed his other Ultimate title so that you can eliminate some suspects even further down.... that's quite fucking bold move, as expected of the conman...." Higura commented, who sounded really glad.

"Oh, thank you!! I didn't expect to be complimented by an associate of the culprit!!" Hisao took a jab on that, earning a glare from the other. "I was expecting for little miss to appreciate me a bit more but that will do! Now, my next question and quite a sad one in fact, _why was Shoma found dead in the pool this evening?_"

"Huh!? He's dead!?_ Then who's that standing in the biologist's podium!?_" Mitsuru pointed at Shoma himself, who just stared at her in disbelief.

"That's Shoma, Mitsuru, in flesh and blood...." I reassured the panicking cosmetologist. "**_Because he was knocked out_**.... since he's always swimming at that area, he would have found out it was Higura helping the culprit.... "

"Ah....! This critter now remembers.....!" Shoma lightened up a bit. "This critter was wandering around... heading towards the pool near the hotel for a quick float..... but _because of a strong smell_..... this critter blacked out......!"

_'The smell he's referring to.... must have been the thing that knocked him out in the first place......'_

.........

.....

"Yes, I'm sure you've recognized that smell now, Shoma..." I answered. "It's the makeshift **_chloroform _**that the culprit used to-"

**(**_** DUO ARGUED: Ishimoto Nao & Osame Hiroshi**_ \- _"We will test your logic there!"_ \- **)**

* * *

"I'm sorry, Sumire but I have to stop you right there!" Nao warned me but in a rather respectful way.

"W-What?" I didn't expect the ghostwriter to argue with me but I can't lie, I'm interested in what she has to say.

"Shoma, are you sure you're not hit by some sort of a secondary weapon instead...?"

"Eh.... _this critter doesn't get it_...?"

"Don't you think it's a little bit extreme to guess that the culprit would used something like chloroform to knock Shoma out?" Hiroshi asked. "They could have used _**the clean weight**_ they were carrying around as well!!"

"But there's no way they could make such a substance!!" Nao stated. "We don't even have _**any apparatus or the proper ingredients**_ to make such a pure, strong substance..."

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ -)**

* * *

"There's no doubt that _**chloroform **_is used here... I can even smell a sweet scent just from standing near Shoma. It's strong to enough for anyone to noticed...." I explained, carefully not trying to raise my voice against the ghostwriter. "And I don't think the clean weight has anything to do with this... using that to knock someone out would definitely cause severe bleeding and the culprit doesn't want that to draw any suspicion...."

"This critter believes that.... _**a cleaning detergent**_ and _**alcoho****l**_... would be sufficient.... after all... it's the most common used ingredients that shouldn't be swim together...!" Shoma continued.

"Wow, Nao!! You usually help Machi at the library! Didn't you realized there's like a billion of books that could have instructions into make such a deadly weapon?" Hisao called out, making Nao shy away a bit. "_But hmmm... I wonder who would have that much power to get two things at once and with a motive as well!_"

That's sarcasm, _that's definitely sarcasm right there_. But I can see why he's doing this. _So, I will just have to play along for now_.

* * *

**( Nonstop Debate )**

"Hey, culprit!! Would ya' mind telling us how do you made the goods!" Hisao called out. "_**Do you have some sort of stash hidden somewhere**_ in the hotel?"

"If that works, then I truly be surprised....." Saku commented. "I'm sure the culprit must have got them at the kitchen since _**that's the only place that has the cleaning detergent**_...."

"That's impossible... because _the kitchen is locked._..." Hiroshi refuted. "I'm _the one who's holding the key_ so there's no entry there...."

"**_What if the culprit just picked the lock though?_**" Mitsuru asked. "That's still a possibility!"

**( _BREAK!_ )**

* * *

"No, _there's one other place_ that we looked that has that one last and important ingredient...." I answered. "_**The gymnasium**_ and Taiga confirmed it for me...."

"Yes, when we checked the storage room where all equipment and cleaning supplies were kept..." Taiga explained. "It seems like _**there's one less bottle missing from the pile**_....."

"And the other missing ingredient is _**the alcohol from the bar**_!! Since the bar has no restriction and we're too much of a goody-two-shoes to drink them...." Hisao continued. "So the culprit took the chance!!"

"That's great and all... that we found out why Shoma passed out...." Machi pointed out, still confused by the chain of events we're going through. "But where does all of that lead us now? We're just solving like small branches of the mystery that the culprit made for us to side-track from the bigger one......"

"No, no... I wouldn't call this_ 'side-tracking'_...." said Hisao. "I would rather called it, _'the culprit's big mistake'_. Because if they're actually thorough about their plan, they would have won by now! But instead, they let not one but**_ two major slip-ups!!_**"

"_Slip-ups_...? Such as what...?" Renma asked.

"Whoops, I got tired all of the sudden!! Little miss, I'm gonna take a nap for a while so I will be leaving the spotlight to you!!" Before I could even say anything, Hisao slid down into his podium as his back leaned against it.

"..... _Unbelievable_...." I muttered under my breath. _But this means I can take control of this trial for a while before he spurt into action_, "I hope everyone can keep up with this string of events, as heavy as it is......."

"_I-I will go over it again_...." Taiga volunteered. "Sumi, Renma and I found the body covered with the gym matting that's similar to what the runaway fugitive was wearing and the bloody one in the gymnasium. Higura disposed of the bloody weight but used a spare in order to lead us to the crime scene. We know the cause of death was by those automaton soldiers so the dismounted gun at the shooting range was just a decoy...."

"That's one thing I'm still confused about...." Mitsuru admitted. "When we went there to investigate, we found it laying there on the floor... but since Taiga said it wasn't like that before...._ who took it off in the first place and when did they do that.. ..?_"

_'There's actually a huge gap of time between there so judging by what I know, the person who did it....'_

..........

.......

"_**It has to be the culprit**_...." I answered. "They must have**_ waited for Taiga to leave the shooting range before they could even take it off from their stand_**. They may have an idea to leave it somewhere visible so that we can think of it as the potential murder weapon... but because of Higura's sudden change of plan, they wasted no time and have to leave it be once the body discovery announcement happened...."

"With that amount of time..... the culprit would have to pretend they about to head to the gymnasium from a different location...." Renma pondered. "This might be better if everyone else remembered who they meet up with, _specifically people who just came out from the hotel or library_..."

"I was about to head to the hotel from the library when the announcement happened and I immediately rushed to the gym......." Machi answered. "On my way there... I met up with _**Mitsuru**_, _**Hibiki**_, _**Higura **_and _**Saku**_...."

"_Okay, it's time to interrogate those people heavily!!"_ Hisao suddenly jumped up from his place. "I'm all hyper-charged and ready to tackle some inconsistencies!!"

"C-Come on!! Me again?!" Mitsuru panicked. Higura was silent this whole time but we knew for certain he's just an accomplice in this plan. "You can't be serious about pitting us against each other!! Like we said before!!! We're not the culprits!!!"

"Hey, I got bored and wasted my energy explaining things to you guys...." Hisao pouted. "Now it's your turn to explain yourself!! I wanna hear everything so entertain me, peasants!!!"

"Didn't you say the people who sided with Higura are unlikely suspects...?" Amane rephrased what he said. "That's an awful contradiction you've dug yourself there-"

"He means... _**it's Higura and Saku**_......" Shoma cuts him off immediately. "He doesn't want us to mass interrogate the extras.... he wants us to eliminate them..... which means it can only be_** them**_...."

"W-What!? Hell no, I wanted little miss to figure that out!!!" Hisao pointed at the biologist, whining out loud. "How dare you steal her thunder!!! Boo!!! Repent!!! Repent for that right now!!!"

_'The person that Shoma is referring to.... has to be our culprit. With Higura as his helper, the only person who would be able to keep his mouth shut about this whole plan is.....'_

......

...............

........................

"_**Oozora Saku**..... you're the true culprit of this case, aren't you?_"

"G-Guys...." Saku staggered a bit. "What are you talking about? I-I... wouldn't kill Kiharu!! She's my friend!!!"

"_Friends can kill each other if being pushed to do it_...." said Amane. "But I see why Hisao mentioned _**the major slip-ups**_...."

"The first major slip-up was _**the cleaning group for the gymnasium**_.... since we knew Higura isn't the suspect and Hiroshi doesn't even know about the actual secret motive, it automatically has to be Saku doing the prep work before murdering Kiharu...." I explained. "The second slip-up was _**when the body discovery announcement happened**_.... because he doesn't have enough time to even fake his arrival, he has to meet-up with Higura mid-way before Machi spotted him...."

"Oh yeah and there's a third major slip-up actually...." Hisao whistled. "_**I bump into Saku at the bar during yesterday evening**..._...."

"_**You what!?**_" Mitsuru and Amane shrieked, I defensively shielded my ears from their piercing voices. But still, _**what the hell!?**_ _Why didn't he brought that up before!?_

"Yeah, I saw him being fishy at the bar but I didn't say anything...." said Hisao. "I just acted like I didn't see anything and he didn't even suspect a single thing. That confidence is truly something else, Saku!! You have to teach me your ways!! I didn't bother mentioning that earlier because that will end this mystery way too fast for my liking!!"

"You... You!!!" Saku is fuming, this is the first time I saw him being this furious. "_You dirty... **no-good, fucking con artist**!!!_"

"Ah-ha!" Hisao laughed away his insult. "It is what I am!! A sneaky actor who faked his own reactions just to mess with everyone!!!"

"_**Hang on**_...." Taiga pointed out. "If he got the alcohol bottle from yesterday already... _doesn't that mean_...."

"It was a breathtaking performance done by Higura, wasn't it?" Hisao said excitedly. "Yup, there's no doubt.... Higura was only acting like a feral dog on heat this morning just to fool everyone... _**so that we all would suspect him as the scapegoat and not Saku who joined us just for virtue points!**_"

"Lies... lies!! Lies!!**_ Lies!! Lies!!!_**" Saku yelled out in frustration. "I'm not the culprit!! I didn't do anything wrong!!! _Gura-!!! You're my friend.. right!? Why aren't you defending me!!?_"

Higura just cringed at how the aerobat spat out his name like he pleading for him to say something. His whole body grew tense and shook every time Saku said his name.

"_Gura... hey..... buddy.... you're my friend right_...." Saku is smiling, but it's not that usual heartwarming smile he always have. It's the kind that just sent cold shivers down your spine. "I've done a lot of great things for you..... I even corrected your manners since you got here!! _So why!? **Why aren't you defending me!? Aren't you supposed to be my friend!?**_"

"Stop it...." Higura slid down, covering his ears at this point. "_I don't wanna hear it-!!_"

"Saku, stop it!! You're scaring him!!!" Mitsuru looked like she was about to leave her podium to comfort the designer. "There's no way Higura would want to defend a murderer like you!!"

"_But I'm his friend_.... _that's what friends do_, right...?" Saku slowly spoke, his low voice echoed in the trial room. "_Friend.... got each other's back.... friends defend each other until the very end_...."

"If you didn't push ahead!!!" Higura yelled out, still refusing to look at the aerobat directly. "_**If you didn't go overboard, we wouldn't be in this mess right now!!!**_"

.....

_"Huh?"_ Something inside me just shattered. "_Huh_..... Higura.... are you saying that..... _**Kiharu's death was accidental?**_"

"Don't say it, Gura.... Please, don't say it.... I don't wanna die...." a sob wrecked the aerobat's body. "I don't wanna be punished, Gura. _**Please, I'm begging you**_...."

Higura stood up, hugging himself at this point as it's comforting to him, "Saku's plan was to confuse everyone with the mixed-up secret motives... and it's true, Saku did have Renma's motive. With Kiharu revealing Taiga's motive, Saku was planning to use that against someone else in the group..... _**He's planning to use it against you**_...."

_"M-Me....?"_

"After the first successful class trial, the aerobat have to aim for the self-appointed leader of the group right now... which has to be you, little miss, **_Hoshino Sumire_** the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_...." Hisao explained, yawning midway. "Without you, we wouldn't even be able to put a dent in this mystery..... and if I have to play a guessing game,_ he originally plan to knock me out instead of Shoma_.... _so that I wouldn't be aware of what's going on_...."

"And the secret motive paper.... was put alongside with her body so that I wouldn't be able to inspect the true cause of death....." Renma grimaced. "If I didn't put my skills into use, we would have easily blamed it on Taiga and the dismounted gun decoy...."

"But everything went into the wrong order....." Higura confessed. "Because _Kiharu saw us at the gymnasium earlier this evening_..... Saku panicked and then-"

"Stop it!! _**Stop it, stop it, stop it!!**_" Saku yelled. "Why are you telling them all of that!? Do you hate me that much!? _I didn't mean for her to die!! I wanted to help her but-!!!_"

"_But you're a coward and you don't want to take the blame_...." Hisao sighed, looking bored already. "How boring.... I thought you would at least put up a fight unlike _the other one_.... you decided to push the already severely injured Kiharu into the automaton soldiers range and let them obliterated her.... **_I'm sorry, but where in this part of the play are we supposed to feel sorry for you?_**"

"_**That's enough**_...." I gritted my teeth, this whole situation is too tough to bear _yet it's still feel and look familiar to me_. I don't need to hear neither Hisao's or Higura's explanation any more. "You don't have to explain it anymore, I get the full picture. _You're mad at Saku that he didn't have the heart to save Kiharu... **because he's afraid of getting caught**_. Is that a satisfying story, everyone? Shall I go through the details from the beginning again?"

"The stage is set for you, little miss....." Hisao faked a bow and everyone else just nodded, feeling rather uncomfortable by the confession earlier. "_You're the main attraction of the class trial, after all_... convicting two wrong-doers to be punished...."

"No... _there's only one wrong-doer_...." My eyes met the heated glare of the aerobat. "_**And I will end this trial with no guilt**_....."

* * *

**( Closing Argument )**

"In order to get away with the crime they will soon commit, the culprit has to plan ahead. They convinced Higura to follow along with their plan, because he originally have the culprit's motive and so the culprit has to threatened him to cooperate. The culprit has to collect the **_alcohol bottle from the bar_ **first to initiate the first step, which ironically falls apart from here once they didn't noticed that Hisao saw them."

"Higura set up the morning confrontation in order to divide us all and making sure that the suspicion was drawn away from the culprit who sided with us, so that he's the one who will take the fall. After that, during the morning clean-up, the culprit took the chance and open the **_small window to the storage room_** to disposed of the evidence later that night. Higura and the culprit meet up at the gym to start their plan and **_making the chloroform_** with one of the **_cleaning detergent_ **but unfortunately, Kiharu spotted them and the culprit, in panicked, hit her with the weight. Despite the miscalculations, they have to pressed on. They carried Kiharu's body, the gym mats and the weights they needed to disposed to the field where those automaton soldiers would usually roam around, and pushed her into their range.... _to alert the soldiers and misfired_."

"The culprit and Higura carried the body, being wrapped in the gymnasium mat and carried it over to the other side of the gym, where one of them disposed of the**_ bloody mat_** through the small window to the storage room and closed it from the outside. At this time, the culprit would have to go and went ahead, waited for Taiga to leave the shooting range. Higura, on the other hand, has to disposed of the evidences...... _but he has another plan in mind_."

"Higura has to knock Shoma out in order to avoid detection and placed him unconsciously onto the pool. Since it's Shoma's strange gimmick, nobody suspected something's wrong with him. Higura disposed of the **_bloody weight _**and the rest of the evidences, mainly the empty bottles to make chloroform. Next, he just have to lead someone to the crime scene. With**_ the clean weight_ **he secretly took it with him, he grabbed **_Renma and Hisao's attention_ **as he threw it into the window and make a run for it, also attracting **_Hiroshi and Nao's attention_** as well."

"After he arrived at the gym, Higura removed **_the clean gym mat_** he wore over his head and placed it on top of Kiharu's body, not realizing the scrap of paper underneath her that the culprit planted to frame him. With everything set, he immediately left using a different route. While all of this happened, on the other side, the culprit immediately **_removed the bolted gun from the stand _**once Taiga left but because of the body discovery announcement, he just left it on the floor in a hurry to meet up with everyone. From there on, Higura and the culprit just has to pretend that nothing went wrong... **_and one of didn't realized he was being set up to begin with_**."

** _"This is the act that could only be done by you, yourself, Oozora Saku, the Ultimate Aerobat!!!"_ **

**( _BREAK__!_ )**

* * *

.....

Despite everything,_ I still feel sick in my stomach_. It's not because of Saku willingly to throw Higura under fire for a crime he shouldn't have done it, but it's because the pure feeling of satisfaction I get once I explained the whole story from the start. It still feels wrong. It still feels like Saku didn't want to do this in the first place, "Is that story clear enough for you to admit it? That you're just using your friendship with Higura just to get away from the murder that you've committed?" The aerobat didn't reply, "_**Forget about it**_.... _Monomyou, it's voting time!!_"

"That's my line, you brat!!" Monomyou exclaimed, laughing in between their lines. "But boy, I can't believe it!! What a terrifying venomous snake hidden within these freshly pile of scattered flowers!!! I would have been scared shitless if I ever encounter those kind!!! _Now then, ladies and gentlemen, it's the satisfying conclusion to the trial that you all have been waiting for!! **It's Voting Time!!!**_" 

The voting panel appeared right before and I wasted no time but pressed onto Saku's icon as the machine immediately vanished from my sight. Everyone already voted once it appeared as well, no need for second guesses or even anything, Higura and Saku already voted as well. Once every panel is gone from each podium, the big monitor from before appeared behind Monomyou, playing the roulette system again.... until the arrow landed on**_ Oozora Saku_** and the bright neon lights of the word '**_GUILTY_**' lightened up once again. 

"Nyahahahaha!!!' Monomyou laughed as they jumped down from their throne. "Amazing!! Stupendous!!! All of you got it right!!! Right!!! Right!! Right!!! Right!!!! As your magnificent host, I'm proud of you guys!!! Let us all huddled together and hug it out!!! Come on now, hug it out!!! Victory for the team!!"

"Saku....." I ignored the cat host as I approached the trembling aerobat. "**_Why did you do it_**...... you could have stopped there..... _you could just stopped when you hurt Kiharu_..."

"Little miss, I wouldn't do that if I were you...." Hisao warned me but I didn't pay attention to him. "If his secret motive still have any truth to it, _it's best to stay back while you're interrogating_...."

"So you also knew about that....?" I hesitated but I took a few steps back just in case, Higura is right behind me, looking at Saku directly. Heavily sighed, I asked, "_What else do you know?_" 

"Well.... as absurd as the graphic designer lied about Renma being a cold-blooded killer machine who thirsts for blood before this....." Hisao smiled, placing his hand on his cheek. "**_Don't you think he got that inspiration from someone else? Someone else's motive perhaps?_**"

Everyone gasped but Monomyou's the only one who let out a laugh, "**_Bingo!!_** Ohhh, you've got that right again, Mr. Conman!!! That's right, everyone!!! Since it's the end of the show, it's time to revealed **_Oozora Saku's secret motive_**_!!!_ Being the youngest and proudest aerobat out there, _Saku would do anything to stay on top of everyone!!_ Using his overbearing personality and friendly nature, he would make any connection he could out there to need a helping hand!! But once a group of said talented young and up-coming aerobats took his spotlight for a show!! _**The boy saw green!! Green!!** _That's bad news there!! So.... **_he jeopardize their whole show, staged a big major crash that caused the group's life and no one knew he did it!! Nyahahahaha!!_**_"_

"_A-Ah_..." Amane was speechless by the revelation but Hibiki took those words he wanted to say right from his mouth. "How... horrible.... _how heartless can you be_...?"

"Cruel.... **_you're a cruel monster_**, Saku...." Mitsuru shook her head, trembling as Nao hold onto her with a worried look.

".... _So what?"_ Saku started, glaring at each and every one of us. "So what if I did it? It doesn't even make a difference. Nobody would want to waste their time on mourning a group of children they barely know or even bother to feel sympathy for. **_It's their own fault for starting way ahead of me_**...." 

_"You little-!!"_ Taiga sneered, looking he was about to attack him but Renma hold him back. "What hell is wrong with you!? How could you feel not feel any remorse for you've done?!"

"Remorse.... _**remorse!?**"_ Saku stomped his foot down in anger. "Do you think I would give a shit or feel any remorse for a group of brainless dickwads who's done nothing but squawking around like a bunch of chickens!?!? I have a brighter future and unfuckable plan ahead of me and I don't want this killing game or any of you guys get in my way!! It was all going so well until some idiot fucked up the whole thing!!"

Unconsciously, I grabbed onto Higura's arm, for safety. **_This is bad_**. I recognized this seething, emotional outburst, this will turned physical if Saku continued on. "So to you, our lives meant nothing. As long as you managed to get out of here,_ we would just act as your stepping stones towards freedom_...."

"That's your purpose, ain't it!?" Saku clicked his tongue, hand wandering near his neck as if he's going to choke himself out of frustration. "It would have gone sooo much better if you became my friend, then you wouldn't worry about me throwing you away like a piece of garbage! I would have carried you guys' name out from this ruined hotel once I won.... _at least, that's the most I can do for a nameless crowd like you_-!!"

Something whizzed past me, I didn't catch it, it was too fast. But once it got to the front, my eyes widened in shock, "_What!?_"

Shoma held Saku up by the front of his jumpsuit, lifting him up with no problem at all. The aerobat looked absolutely terrified by this turn of event. In Shoma's other hand was _a scalpel_, "**_Annoying_**..... **_you're so annoying_**..... people like shouldn't last this long in this killing game in the first place..... you don't deserve to leave out of this place unscathed...."

"S-Shoma, wait!!!" I quickly approached him, placing my hand onto his shoulder, gripping it tightly. "Shoma, don't do this!! He's gonna get punished either way!! Don't make it worst for yourself!!" 

Reluctantly, the biologist lets go, leaving Saku falling onto the ground with a heavy thud as he coughed. In return, I let go of his shoulder, my hand shook for a bit. His sudden change of personality, sudden change tone. _Fake Ultimate, fake personality, fake identity_, didn't I predicted them all before? But.... this is still different, they still stay true to themselves, _their real true nature_.

"Wowie!! I wouldn't have mind you killing the blackened right now!!!" Monomyou interrupted the tense atmosphere. "But _I've already prepared** a very special punishment** for the **Ultimate Aerobat**_ so please let me entertained you guys a bit more!!! Any last words for our dear blackened here?? Everyone looked like they're a bit too glad to see him off!!"

"There's something I want to do..... before you punished him....." Higura spoke out. He approached the aerobat with heavy steps as I watched carefully, on stand-by in case anything goes wrong. 

"Ah.... _ahahaha_....." Saku let out a laugh. "In the end.... you won.... _you actually won and proven to be better than me_..... _I thought you would be that kind of buffoon who would accept any kindness given to them_....."

"_I know a manipulative bastard when I see one_....." Higura counter back. "And I know not to be taken in by sweet but empty promises. I'm hard-headed but that doesn't mean I'm dumb enough to be fool by someone like you...." He pulled Saku up by the shoulders, who was taken aback by the designer sudden showcase of strength. "You really cause me nothing but hell for the past few days since we got here.... **_so here's my revenge_**...."

Higura pulled Saku into a hug, earning a noise of confusion from the other who didn't even try to break free from it, "**_This is my revenge_**, Oozora Saku. This is the only time I will show you kindness and it will be the last time you will ever get..... you have that chance to build a long-lasting friendship and make things right.... but as usual, **_you ruined it and no one else would want to mourn for you after this_**....."

He lets go and stepped backwards, but Saku doesn't look like he wanted to with his arms still in position. Saku's face, _his destroyed face, like he have just realized what has he done_, "Shameful, isn't?.... _I could have consider you as a friend if you weren't like this_....." 

...._ That's Saku's punishment from Higura_. _One last word of kindness that's dashed away with cold, brutal reality._

"**_C-Cold_**_!!!"_ Monomyou shivered. "That's so cold!!! I can't believe everyone else is so cold to deliver such a heart-wrenching line!!! But no worries!! Your beloved host will provide a special warming act that will surely bring heat to those frozen hearts!!! Ladies and gentlemen, strapped yourself back!!! The exciting moment that we've all been waiting for!!! **_It's Punishment Time!!!!_**"

The curtain pulled down, the monitor showing Monomyou dragging along Saku with them as the letters below them spelled out; 

**[ OOZORA SAKU HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY! ]**

**[ LET US COMMENCE THEIR PUNISHMENT!! ]**

* * *

[ **_Ultimate Aerobat, Oozora Saku's Execution_** ]

[ _The Amazing Glider's Hammerhead Extravaganza!!_ ]

Both Monomyou and Saku were in the cockpit of the plane, with the actual aerobat being strapped to his seat with no free will to move around. The plane took a running start and took off with accelerating speed. Monomyou guided the plane higher, higher into the atmosphere until Saku was gasping for breath, feeling his ears starting to popped due to sudden increase of pressure. Once they're near and almost out of the Earth's atmosphere, Monomyou let the plane descended rapidly. The cat host panicked, trying to search for something and accidentally knocked Saku's helmet out from his head. Monomyou pressed the emergency evacuation button as their seat jumped out of the cockpit with a parachute attached. 

With the plane particularly heating up and falling apart as they descended further down, they crashed into the ground with a loud explosion. Monomyou safely landed with their seat and parachute, not affected by the loud burning crash site behind them. The cat host strikes a pose as the judges off screen seemingly cheered for them, throwing bouquet of flowers at them as the curtains closed.

* * *

"Wohoooooo!! Who knew aerobatics could be so exhilarating!?" Monomyou announced in the same room as us. We watched the execution happening and the same thought crossed our mind, '_There's no way Saku would make it out alive from that_.....'

"The execution has been a tremendous success!! Especially my performance!!! I hope everyone is entertained with my spectacular performance!! I've practiced long and hard enough for it, _nya'_ know?! _Ackh_-!! I stuttered!!!" Monomyou went on and on. "This class trial is so interesting!!! Lots of lies and backstabbers!!! We're truly at the height of betrayals!!! Careful, dear guests!! You wouldn't know the next person who will end up being blame on...... **_is you!!!_** Nyahahahaha!!"

Just like that, they disappeared. 

_And as always, we walked to the elevator, no sound, nothing, just in complete silence._

* * *

"Here... Sumi...." Hiroshi handed me the key to kitchen before he get on the elevator to his room, he put on a small life as he left almost immediately. _It's Mitsuru and my turn to cook for everyone tomorrow_, I sighed as I placed the key into my pocket. _What a mess_, seriously. Now that everyone know about Saku's true nature, they don't know whether to actually feel bad for exposing him or relieved due to his dismissive personality. The person I'm most worried about is Higura, who's still siting at the reception area, head in his hands. 

_'He's been through so much shit for the past two days....' _Higura is already stressed out during the time period of setting up that crime with Saku, I'm not even sure how much more did the class trial piled onto that. With the aerobat acting like his friend, he will have difficult time trusting everyone else right now, _'I wanna talk to him... but...... I'm not good with helping people going through a traumatic experience..... not when I, myself, still recovering from Renma and Shoma... sudden changes....'_

"Sumi...? You're not going up?" Mitsuru snapped her fingers in front of my face, as I staggered a bit. "Ah sorry, that was really rude of me...."

"N-No... it's fine.... it's just....." the cosmetologist saw my eyes wandered on the designer, sulking. Mitsuru hummed a bit before skipping over to Higura, approaching him from the back, sneakily. Then without any words, she uses both of her hands and pushed Higura's back down, causing the other to reveal his face, "There you go!!! Now I can see your face!!"

"What the-!? What the fuck are you trying to do!?" Higura yelled out his usual foul language. "Are you trying to start some shit up!!?"

"There you go!! That's our _Mochizuki Higura, the foulmouthed Ultimate Graphic Designer!!"_ Mitsuru chuckles. "All pride and not taking anyone's shit!!! Not the usual sulky teenager just because of a little betrayal!!!"

Higura winched at that last statement, as he sighed, "Look..... I'm not in the mood of your stupid game.... just leave me alone and-"

"_Contemplate what you could have done?_" Mitsuru frowned at his shifting attitude. "No, it's too late for that now. There's nothing else you could do about it right now. You just needed to focus on improving yourself. Improve more and try to intimidate others more so that you're not just a sack of meat waiting to be pushed around!!! You're a strong, hot-headed young man who isn't afraid to diss The Devil himself!! Now get up and clean your face!!! I'm gonna help you out!!"

"W-What!?" Higura got dragged along with Mitsuru, guiding both them to the elevator. "I-I can do all of that by myself!!! Stop fucking pulling my arm, it hurts, you know!?"

_"Nonsense!! You're just gonna lie on your bed all day and won't even take a shower out of guilt!! I'm gonna make sure you clean yourself up before going to bed!! Even if it means I have to get into the same shower as you do!!"_

_"Hey!! Fuckin' stop!! That's not something you should say so freely!!"_

The elevator door closed on the chatter duo, leaving me dumbfounded, "Wow.... just..... _wow_....." Mitsuru actually helped out Higura from his troublesome self, without breaking a sweat,_ that's really amazing of her._

"_Mitsuru is an enthusiastic and positive young woman_....." I heard an unfamiliar tone, I looked around to see it was Shoma, with his nautilus hat in his hands, smiling normally. "It's obvious she doesn't want to leave Higura with such heavy thoughts..... so she wanted to help out... it's the best thing she can do..."

"God... hearing you talk normally is so weird now...." I rubbed my forehead, not expecting for Shoma to suddenly talk like a normal person and not his usual floaty self. "This will be really difficult to get used to it now...."

"_This critter can changed its tone whenever it wants to, Sumi_....." Shoma faked his high-pitched voice for a moment. "And I accidentally exposed myself as a more ruthless person so it's no use to disguised myself as a defenseless shell-less sea creature anymore....."

"Why did you do that?" I asked, curiosity gotten the best of me. "Why would you fake your whole personality just to be closed to others?"

"Hmmm... I have my doubts like you do, Sumi....." Shoma answered. "I don't really trust everyone. Especially with Saku and Homare... people who's usually kind and orderly-mannered never turned out to be good people in the end. So I have to act like a defenseless kid for a while, so that everyone let their guard down for the harmless sea creature...."

_Amazingly, his speech pattern still doesn't changed, just gotten a lot more vague there. _But now knowing that Shoma is a skeptical person, _is it possible that he's trying to pry more info out of others by getting closed to them?_ _'So... the reason why he's closed with Renma and I was.....'_

"I really like you and Renma, don't get me wrong....." as if he read my mind, he explained himself. "I don't believe you two would hurt anyone else here.... _and you have your own problems to sort it out by yourself as it seems_. I can't see you do anything remotely bad in the slightest....." 

"That's a way too hopeful of a statement you have about me...." I chuckled. "Not everyone in the entire world can trust me that easily. There are some people who severely loathed my entire existence too, you know?"

_"Then are you happy with yourself? Are you happy with being known as the **Ultimate Private Investigator**? Is something you've been doing since your entire lifetime, right?"_

That question came out of nowhere. I didn't expect for him to ask something so personal like that. The biologist always studied people's emotions from a far, like how he guessed whether Renma and I feel down or not. With his eyes still staring right back at me, piercing through, I can only give him this answer, "...... **_Probably_**. It's something I'm only good at after all. It makes me happy that I can at least help someone else out there but.... it's never a satisfying job regardless the outcome....."

Shoma didn't look like he's buying it for a moment but he simply walked away, "_Thank you for the inquiry._ I really want to know more about Sumi and Renma before getting out of this place.... it's been a while since I made such an amusing group of friends, you know?" 

_Friends_..... 

_So he still considered this weird back-and-forth, speech-decoding relationship that the three of us have as a sign of friendship....._

_Ultimate Mortician or Medium, Ultimate Marine Biologist and Ultimate Private Investigator....._

"What a messy group...." I said to myself and laughed. _'It's been a while since I have close friends like them too.....'_

The elevator doors closed behind us, _leaving an eerie presence that's looming over the hotel area alone_. 

.....

...........

"Nyahahaha!!" Monomyou laughed, gleefully spinning and dancing alone in the reception area. "It's almost time!! Almost, _almost time!!_ For the main attraction!!! This next motive... _will drag them all down to hell!!!_ Nyahahaha!! I can't wait, can't wait!!!..... **_Now then, my little puppets, make sure you entertained us greatly for your next act!!!_**"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Oozora Saku  
[ Title ] Ultimate Aerobat  
[ Height ] 170 cm  
[ Weight ] 51 kg  
[ Chest ] 63 cm  
[ Blood Type ] B  
[ D.O.B ] 18th October  
[ Likes ] Alternative Rock Music  
[ Dislikes ] Windy Weather And Children


	14. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Daily Life I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Another chapter to start with familiar names, another clue to their missing memories and another mysterious name."  
Sumi shed a little light on her past with a certain cosmetologist as the rest of group investigate the other three places that's recently been opened up.

_"**Oozora Saku**.... **Satoshi Kiharu**..... another opposing pair you've picked up now..."_

_"Nyahaha! Those two piqued my interest so there's no way I'm letting them out of my hands!!"_

_......._

_"Please get up from the floor.... you're such a filthy person...."_

_"No need to be so coiled!! What, are you trying to act like a restricting parent now? Try and find a different role!! Your acting is getting more boring!!"_

_.........._

_"Wouldn't they be so troublesome?** A kind man who's a megalomaniac** and **an overbearing woman who's forgiving**...."_

_"That's what makes the pair so interesting!! After all..... they're much more interesting actors than you are....."_

* * *

_'It's been a while since I last woke up earlier than the alarm.... but then again...... It was more of a nap since awe got here really late....' _To even think that the PA system of Monomyou screeching in your ears to be your personal alarm is quite a nightmare so today, I'm glad that I managed to wake up an hour early, _'Should I go and wake up Mitsuru....? Maybe I should just go and check on her room.....'_

With my usual attire, I walked out of my room and locked the door, shoving the ElectroID into my jacket as I approached Mitsuru's room just in front of Saku's room. I stopped for a moment and just stared at the recently deceased's old room but shook off those unpleasant memories from yesterday, _'As cruel as it is.... it's still not right....'_

_"Mitsu-"_ A note was placed onto the door of the cosmetologist, written out with a rather curvy handwriting; _'Currently being a short-term therapist for Higura, please knock on his door if you're searching for me!' - Mitsuru._

"She stayed overnight in _his room_.....?" My mind wandered into a dangerous territory and I immediately slapped both of my cheeks _'Ehhhh, inappropriate thoughts! Inappropriate thoughts, I vanished thee!'_

"_I-It's just a normal slumber party_... _like last time_...." I tried to convinced myself. Yeah, that's right. _Nothing wrong with that, nothing at all_. "I better head to the kitchen and have everything be prepared....." With a clear conscious, clear head and clear thoughts, it took everything in me to just walked past Higura's room without looking back as I take the elevator.

* * *

"_Ah!! Sumi!!_" A familiar sweet-sounding voice echoed in the dining hall, Mitsuru wildly waved her hands in the air, "Goodness! Did you already went ahead and make breakfast for everyone!? Ahhhh!!! I'm sorry I'm late!!! I wasted a lot of energy getting Higura to take a shower last night!!"

_Yeah, I'm sure you did-_ "_**I see**_...." I smiled, ignoring that intrusive thought of mine. I didn't really planned well on what to make so I decided on normal sandwiches with lettuces, onions and barbecue sauce _(it's unhealthy but it's still good)_. "I didn't prepared any drinks so..... you wanna be in charge of that?"

"Aye, aye!" Mitsuru salute as she skipped to the kitchen. A familiar tune played out and the PA system turned on by itself;

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement after the exciting event from yesterday!! I hope everyone slept well! I sure did!! After such an amazing performance, who wouldn't be thrilled to start the day today with a BOOM! Whoops! Was that tasteless of your dear host to joke about? Well, it doesn't matter anyways, nyahahaha!"_

_"I would like to announced that several areas that were off-limit are now opened for exploration!!! Be at your tippity-top best!! Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

I went over to the kitchen to check on the drink-making progress, "Did you hear that? More new places to explore...."

"Yeah.. I heard it...." Mitsuru seems to be mixing some kind of fruit juice. A vibrant yellow-ish-green colour showing through the translucent jar. "Just like before huh..... I wonder this will be different for once... _or it will be the same thing all over again_...."

"_Little chances_....." I said, while smiling. "Best to be positive, right? Better not let Monomyou triumphed over us...."

Mitsuru gasped, a slight blush appeared on her face, "Sumi's smiling face is absolutely adorable!! Ah, just like my favorite idol, cute and perky!! Come to think of it, Sumi and my goddess shared almost the same face!!"

_Favorite__ Idol? Could she be talking about_... "Are you talking about the style-influencer, _'Dolly Esther'?_"

"Yes, yes!! Her!!!" She let out a squeal as she jumped around excitedly. "She used to be my client, you know! She's an angel sent from the heaven themselves!! I've made sure she looked absolutely divinely, you know, every time she visited me!! Ah, _Dolly Esther_, how I wish to see you again, my beautiful angel!!"

Her overreaction made me rethink what I'm going to say next, but seeing Mitsuru being so excited talking about _**that person**_, I can't help it but feel really proud of _**her**_, "Yeah...._ Ayame is always nice to everyone_...."

"Huh... Ayame? Who's that...?" Mitsuru tilted her head.

"What? She's your client but you never knew her real name?" As expected, only her internet persona is well known to everyone else, even to her service providers. "Well, that's _'Dolly Esther'_s real name.... _Endou Ayame_, my sister....."

Mitsuru dropped everything she holding, her mouth wide opened, unable to form any words. In a flash, she held my hands and leaned against me, looming over my head as she spoke in a rapidly manner,_ "Both of you are related!? No wonder you guys look so similar!! Ah, but you two have different eye colours and used different hair dyes!! Are you guys perhaps fraternal twins or something-"_

"S-Slow down, Mitsuru..." I slowly pushed her away, letting her catch her breath before I answered her question. "I wouldn't say we were related.... both of us were raised in a same orphanage before I was adopted by my mentor and Ayame was adopted by our previous caretaker..... no one knows for sure if we're really related or not since we're eerily similar but.... Ayame doesn't really care about those kind of minor details....."

"Oh... you guys were.... _orphans?_" Mitsuru's excitement doubled down into concern once she heard about that. "Esther never mentioned anything about her childhood.... she always sounded like she had a good one with a really closed family member... _was that you, she's talking about?_"

"She could be referring to our previous caretaker, _Endou Mio_...." It's been a while since I've last said that name. "After all, she rarely visit me after I chose to go with my mentor. Both of them really hated each other for some reason....." 

"Ummm.... you keep saying _'mentor'_ and I know you're referring to your senior investigator but..." Mitsuru asked. "Doesn't that mean _your 'mentor' _is technically.... _your adoptive father?_ Do you just never call him that or is it some private reason that you don't want to talk about?"

"No, _it's just for a silly reason_.... here, I will take the drinks out on the table now..." I take the jug and the piled-up cups in one hand, as I continued my story. "He placed me under his wing once he saw my potential in becoming an investigator like he is. So I followed in his footsteps like any normal students with strong commitment would do, but in the end, _we really never have time to even spend together as a family_. Due to countless excursion both of us have to make because of our jobs...... _we barely even seen each other_...."

Placing the beverages on the table, I whipped around just to see Mitsuru looked like she's on verge of crying.... _for some reason_. "Umm... are you okay?" I asked. "I'm sorry, I must have been talking for so long. I didn't noticed you're upset over something...."

"N-No!! Waaaah!!!" The cosmetologist tackled me into a hug, sobbing, as we both tumbled down, my head almost hit the chair behind us. "Sumi is such a lonely soul!!! No wonder you're so oblivious to everything!!"

_Oblivious to what exactly?_ "I don't really get you what you're saying but....." I tried rubbing circles on her back awkwardly. "_There, there_.... it's not all that bad.... It's really nothing once you get used to it..... I may not have an exciting childhood but.... at least I made some friends who are.... _for the lack of a better term, really wild_...."

"T-That's right!!" Mitsuru sat up, rubbing the tears and snot away from her red-painted face. "Sumi got us!! Don't worry, we won't leave you be!!! We will stay by your side forever!!"

_Another long-time commitment_, "Great!! _**Now, please get off of me **before anyone else sees us_-"

_Cough._

Both of us turned our attention to the dining hall entrance, Higura, Renma and Shoma just stood there overlooking us, _in this position_. Renma is smiling, but it's that all too familiar pity smile that he has. Higura, while his ears has a tint of red, doesn't look too amused.

"Ah, are you two recreating some sort of a romantic scene or something...?" Shoma asked bluntly, noticeably not wearing his usual nautilus hat. In fact, his entire appearance has changed. Instead of wearing a high-collared jacket, he's now wearing a long lab coat over his dark blue attire.

"No!!.... _Maybe a bit_...." Mitsuru awkwardly laughs. "It's just that Sumi told me about her lonely childhood days and I just burst into tears, showering her with all the affection she's been craving for!"

"_That's really not it_..." I sighed, immediately getting up that caused Mitsuru to fall off. "It's a long time coming but she personally asked for it and I deliver.... I didn't expect anyone to be that emotional..." Apologetically, I helped her up and fixed the elaborate outfit she wore for her. "_You three are early_..."

"Yes, because_ sleeping for three fucking hours is not ideal after suffering through a two hour trial plus a few minutes of immense torture watching gore galore_...." Higura grumbled as he made his way to his seat. "I also needed to sleep in more after _Mitsun _keep nagging me all night...."

Shoma and I turned to Mitsuru, "_Mitsun?_"

"I nagged him into giving me a nickname since Hisao gave you one and you gave him vice-versa!!" Mitsuru explained, sitting next to Higura. "I was getting jealous of how close everyone is already yet I never received such a nickname!! Ain't that right, _Mochi?_"

"God, that's so fucking lame......" the designer buried his head into his folded arms, I almost missed the slight blush on his face.

'_Ah, could it be_.... _those two actually became that close?_' That was a surprising development. Higura was the first one who bullied Mitsuru around when we got here but to think they ended up as close friends was a twist I didn't expect.

"Ah, it seems Sumi also looked well today...." Renma commented on my appearance. "That's relief.... I would have thought you would ended up becoming a walking zombie because last night's unfortunate events....."

_'Not gonna lie, I also thought I wouldn't get enough sleep from overthinking as well....'_ Higura looked to his side, trying not to listen in the conversation about the last trial. "It's best if we keep our spirits up, right? We also need to investigate those other areas that just opened up...."

"Ah... I'm afraid one of the places might have been mine to begin with...." Renma added, with a strange look on his face. "That place is only accessible for me from the beginning but it seems Monomyou might have opened it for everyone to visit whenever they please....."

"A place... _specifically for you_...?" I asked.

"It was one section of the basement cellar that we discovered during our first day here...." the mortician explained. "To put it simply; _it was the mortuary_...."

"_A-A mortuary!?_" Mitsuru shrieked. "_W-Wait, so you were_....?"

"Yes... I've been embalming the dead from previous class trials for the past few days now...." said Renma, somehow not minding telling us his work right now. "If anyone's interested, I can be your guide...."

"Just wait for us to finish our fucking breakfast then we will head down the creepy crawly land...." Higura stated, biting into his food, mouthful of lettuce.

"Sounds like a plan....." Everyone seems to be on board with that idea. _That's good, everything is moving along as usual_. With a thought like that, there's a heavy feeling in my chest as my anxiety starting to act up, _'Why does it have to be now? All the mysteries after that damned plush events already cleared up.... What am I so afraid of it now? We just needed answers to our whereabouts right now....' _I pushed those feelings away once more people entered the dining hall.

* * *

"W-Wow... what a place....."

"Thank you for a kind review...." Renma chuckles at the trembling girl, facing the countless cold chambers built into the wall. There's also others covered with a sheet over them on certain tables and tag attached to them, we don't want to disturb anything as a sign of respect. "I'm still in the middle of embalming so please do mind the awful silence....."

"_Is it_....." the mortician barely lift the cover, but I can see a burnt piece of the grey fabric. Mitsuru and I looked at each other for a bit, I mouthed,_ 'Distract Higura'_ quickly and thankfully, she got the idea.

"Hey, look at this...." Mitsuru pulled out a random book from the shelves. "This is.... _a list of people who died over the years!!_ Let's see if there's any funny causes or what!"

"_Okay_....." Higura sounded really uncomfortable _but it works, a distraction is a distraction_.

"How on earth did Monomyou recovered the body from the site....?' I frowned, looking at the burnt remains. "Are you sure you're okay with this, Ren?"

"It's.... _alright_, I can assure you that...." Renma confessed, as he puts on his gloves. "It's difficult for me to go back to my old ways but... if it helps them to passed on to the afterlife, then I don't want to ignore and not fulfill that wish of theirs...."

"Don't push yourself too hard there, Ren..." _Funny, that was the same thing he said to me during our first investigation_.

"Hey, Sumi?" Mitsuru called out to me, I would have thought she actually found something really funny but her serious expression tell a different story. "Look at this.... _Does this name sounds familiar_...?"

"_Name_....?" She passed me the book as she pointed at the title of the page. "_**'The Tragedy Of Hope's Peak Academy'**_..... it..._ does sound familiar_......"

"Right!? I'm not tripping out or anything, right!?" Higura looked at it, his face paled. "I swear I heard that shit from somewhere! Turn to the next page, there's more of that!!"

_More? The list of the deceased is mostly students from the same class, known as the '**Reserve Course Students**' and their cause of death is stated as mass suicide_. What could be possibly worst than that? Once I turned to the other page, I finally get what he's saying, "_**The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History**_...."

I would have let out a small laugh at the name, if it weren't for such an alarmingly high death count that reached almost over ten pages and it's not even halfway there in the alphabetical order, "What the hell is this....? What's with the cause of death.....? _Driven into despair by the.... **Ultimate Despair**_...?"

"I heard about that title but.... that was already a long time ago.... right?" Mitsuru gulped down her nervousness. "One disaster that humankind have to suffer.... **_all because of one Ultimate student_**....."

"_I_.... _I have heard of her_....." Working with previous powerful people who needed my help in covert surveillance allowed me to learn more about my clients and the people I'm supposed to keep an eye on. One of those clients have this really detail record about '_**The Tragedy**_' he kindly let me borrow to read. _**Enoshima Junko**_ and _**Ikusaba Mukuro**_, _the _**_Ultimate Despair Sisters_**, with their undying followers, '**_Remnant of Despairs'_**, they wrecked havoc across the nation.

_'Wait.... what was that one piece of information I'm missing....'_ I bit my tongue out of reflex. _'Damn it, why can't I remember!?'_

"But the school... _Hope's Peak Academy_....." Mitsuru pointed out. "Could that be the school that the previous elite school we enrolled in was related to....? They're both _Ultimate Academies_ so....."

"Possible but too early to tell....." Shoma appeared right beside me, looking down briefly. "But..... '_**The** **Tragedy**'_..... I wonder why did that name just cause a sudden reflex in all of us...? The gap between that event and the present is a bit more than ten years, I doubt every single one of us even existed to live through it....."

"W-We probably learned that shit in school or something!!" Higura tried to convinced that's the answer to the unwavering mystery in our head. "It's a pretty awful fucking event that probably scarred us for life!! That's why we were scared shitless!!"

"_That will be very ideal_..." Renma commented far from the crowd, still working on the body, brushing something off of it. "I unfortunately got the same reaction when I first saw that...... it might have been related to our missing school memories.... it's plausible that we all heard of it when attending the _Ultimate Academy for Elites_ to spread awareness of such tragedy. If we're the 50th class... then the academy might also suffered through it as well..."

".... _For now_...." I closed the book and approached the mortician. He warned me to cover my nose and mouth first before going anywhere near the body. I did what he told and I placed the book on the table, "It's best to keep this with you.... since this place is open to everyone, I'm afraid someone might just steal it from the shelves...."

"Who would steal a book list of deaths?" Higura questioned.

"I can think of one person who would do it...." I sighed.

_"Hisao..." _Everyone said in unison, including Renma.

_"That's right..."_

"Alright, should we go now? I'm sure everyone else already discovered the new places!!" Mitsuru pulled along Higura with her. "Come on! I'm sure there's more exciting places we can go and scavenge for clues!!"

"H-Hey!!! Fuckin' ask for permission before dragging people with your shit!!' Higura tried to keep up with Mitsuru's pace until both of them exited the mortuary.

"Those two are doing well together....." Shoma hummed, looking pleased with himself. "It's a good thing that Higura has fallen into despair due to Saku's betrayal.... Mitsun has taken the initiative to be his guardian angel after all....."

_'Fallen into despair'? What's with this sudden use of 'despair'?_

"They make such an unlikely couple, don't they....?" Both Shoma and I just stared at him in disbelief, but Renma doesn't understand the weird looks he's getting. "Oh? Is it really off to have that thought about them?"

"With how Mitsuru usually act towards.... _pretty things_...." _Sugarcoating a bit there_. "I don't think Higura can keep up with that kind of pent-up energy...."

"I think he also have similar energy level...." said Renma as he covered the body with the sheet, signalling the end of his handiwork. "After all, Higura always go on of how great his work is, yes? If Mitsun encourages that side of his.... he wouldn't have to worry being hold down by petty restrictions...."

_'Right... he was really unhappy when Saku acted aggressively towards his usual foul-mouthed self.... with Mitsun, he wouldn't have to feel suffocated and have someone a bit more enthusiastic by his side....Ha, I'm really envious of him...'_

_"Sumi, your jealousy is showing....."_

_"What....?"_

"_This critter is simply pointing out the obvious_..." Shoma giggled. "This critter might want to stay here a little longer to help out Ren with his work.... after all, this place might have more mysteries to it than we first thought...."

_Like when we first missed the newspaper clippings from the library_, "Yeah, sure... I will be going ahead.... be safe, you two. Careful not to hurt yourself..."

I bid farewell to the biologist and mortician as I headed my way out.

* * *

One of the other places that's recently opened up was strangely an large theater house, right behind the library. As expected, I bumped into Amane and Hibiki there, looking enamoured by the stage. Nao and Machi fooled around, dancing in the middle of it all, laughing at each other.

"Ah... such beauty...." Amane dramatically faked a sob. "To think this was hiding from me for too drastically long.... oh, how I wish to recreate such a masterpiece I once saw in my life!!"

"_So not that too long ago and it's your piece still_...." Hisao snickered behind him, probably egging on his self-centered ideals. "But wow!! Haven't seen a stage this grand for a long time!! Dear little miss!! Do you think we can recreate _'The Grand Guignol'_ with this amount space?"

"If you can even think about an original act so putrid and horrifying, then the stage is yours to have control over it...." I answered, wondering how the conman would know such a specific theater. _A horror __theater_, at that.

"It's almost similar to when I perform on stage before....." Hibiki muttered. "A theater packed with people just to hear a poor canary sing.... truly a nerve-breaking moment...."

"Even the _**Ultimate Opera Singer**_ would sometimes get nervous on stage as well, huh?" Hibiki have such a lovely singing voice that even a single note out of her would be enough to put into a deep sleep.

"There's always the unexpected... My voice often cracks whilst in the middle of a song that I usually improvised my notes... sometimes a compromise is necessary as long as the end result still closed on a good note...." Hibiki chuckles. "Perhaps you would be interested in some vocal practice with me, Sumi? You seem suited for a soprano almost..."

"I used to sing in a choir when I was young but not so much anymore...." It used to be my favorite thing to do when I was under the orphanage's care. My appreciation of music did stemmed from my daily choir singing. "I may be a bit rusty so I might be stuck within the mezzo range....."

"I didn't take you as an elegant type, little miss!!" Hisao butted in. "You have such a bite that everyone would see you as a brut-_ Ackh!!!_"

Hibiki slapped the conman in the face from the back with the pamphlet she was holding the entire time, making him tumbled down onto the floor. I held back a laughter, _'Serves him right....'_

"You have to start from somewhere else, after all, that's good enough for me to teach you more...." Hibiki smiled. "Maybe some other day... since there's still one more place you might want to see for yourself... it appears to be a casino that Taiga and Hiroshi is checking out right no-"

"_**Yes, definitely, I will definitely go there right now**_....." My instincts just screamed at me to go there right now and I obliged to listen to it.

* * *

_'Ah, I knew it.....'_

Once I hear the words_ 'Taiga and Hiroshi'_ and _'Casino'_ together in one sentence, it's a perfect recipe for the chaotic-driven troublemakers. _And I'm right_.

Hiroshi lie down on the floor in defeat with Taiga sitting on top of him, proud and smugly showing all the casino coins he won against the abseiler. Mitsuru and Higura just cleaned up the messed they made while playing with other machines, disgruntled looks on their faces.

"No faaaaair!" Hiroshi sobbed out. "How can you have that much luck!? That humanely impossible!! You must be cheating!!!"

"It's alllll calculations, buddy!!" Taiga snickered. "Even with Lady Luck on my side, if ya' probability is too weak, then you don't exactly have any chances in winning!!! That's how you actually survived in gambling!!!"

"_Nooooo_....." Mitsuru pushed Taiga off a bit and lifted the other one up. "No one's gambling anyone's money away...... I don't want anyone to be addicted to this place and waste their entire savings....."

"_Too late_...." Taiga and I said in unison, eyeing on the abseiler.

So there are three new places that just opened up; the mortuary, the theater house and the casino. All three are seemingly harmless for now._ 'Wouldn't this be the part Monomyou would waltz in and said something about the last trial-'_ and right on cue, the cat host appeared right in the middle of the group, with Mitsuru screeching.

"G-Good morning, everyone....!!!" Strangely, Monomyou acting really weird and is visibly trembling, even their voice isn't in its usual pitch. "I-I hope everyone is having fun!!! This time, the areas you guys have discovered are all about entertainment!!!"

"Why the hell are you stuttering?" Higura raised an eyebrow. "Are you fucking finally acknowledging us being your potential killers or something? That we will ripped you apart?"

"V-Violence against your magnificent host is forbidden!! Y-You will be punished for that!!!" Monomyou spurted out the answer. "B-Besides!!! Your wonderful host.... accidentally misplaced your rewards for your recent class trial!!! I-I'm terribly sorry for that!!"

That mention of reward made everyone stared at each other, worried that it will be like that plush thing all over again. Higura and Taiga also reacted really poorly towards it. But Monomyou didn't take note of it, "Y-Your magnificent host will try their best to find them!!! F-For the mean time!!! Please indulge yourself with some wonderful entertainment I have provided you guys!!! I promise the rewards will be worth it!! A-And if anyone of you happened to find it.... please call for me!!"

And with that, Monomyou disappeared into the trap door below them. Hiroshi sighed, scratching the back of his head, "Well... this mean they won't be bothering us with any nonsensical things for a while..... it's best we savor our peaceful moment before everything will eventually come crashing down....."

"But what else could they possibly have in store for us now?" Mitsuru asked. "They have already used most of our personal info and family..... and they wouldn't even tell us about our missing school memories...."

"It's best not to think about it too much...." I reassured her. "If we do, it will only end in a complete mess.... _like last time_. For now, we should all talk about it once Monomyou came back with it....."

"Yeah, that would be a nice change of pace.... _for now_...."

_I wouldn't want anyone to be completely divided over it_, it was partially my mistake for saying we should keep the secret motives to ourselves last time, without knowing someone else already planned ahead. Taiga and others are already leaving the casino, saying that they want to at least sleep for a little longer before venturing out again. _'Ah... I don't feel like going back to my room.... perhaps I should go look around some more....'_

* * *

** [ Free Time Event ] **

_"Are you finally dead?"_

_"Ah!! Little miss!! Didn't noticed you got in!! I was having a wonderful daydream, you know!"_

I decided to visit the theater house again and found the conman still laying on the grand stage, spread out like a starfish. Not really an odd thing I would see him doing, "So this is what you usually do when you have too much free time?"

"Hmmmm, nope!!" He sat up with his legs crossed each other as I do the same thing as well. "I actually have done a lot of things during my spare time!! Like fooling around with others!! I tested out their gullibility!!"

Right, conman usually have a specific target; people who are easily fooled or even unusually greedy, "Mind if you test that out on me as well? Would want to know how much confidence you have in your own tricks...."

Hisao thought about it for a while, before deciding, "Alright! It's been a while since I tricked a law enforcement! So I may lose some points! Now, say you just caught me tricking a young man into emptying out his back account in order to get this super secret and rare medicine for his dying girlfriend! What do you think you should do in this scenario?"

That's really oddly specific. I didn't expect for this to be a full-blown story but _could it be this sort of thing happened to him before?_ "I would have interrogate _'the marks'_ first... explaining the situation to me first before gaining on the both of them exchanging the deal..."

"Ohhhhh! So you actually knew our street terms for our victims! Nice!!" Hisao grinned, clapping like an excited child. "But why before the money is involved? It would have been better if you burst into action once the exchange has been made!!"

"Well, legal tender is also part of this ploy...." I pointed out. "It's one way to scammed a sketchy medicine to an innocent bystander but it's also really scummy for you to scammed over the intended amount of cash that the both of you agreed on.... so not only you will be caught selling a counterfeit but you're also caught for intentionally lying about the amount...."

"_Oh wow, I'm scared now_...." a sweat just rolled down on his face as he laughed. "I guess I shouldn't underestimate you, young little miss!! People usually say they will jump on us once the deal has been made!! Like, that wouldn't change a thing!! Once a deal is made and done, it's already over!"

"It's when both parties are practically vulnerable so I get why...." I frowned. "Why did you use that scenario? It's an odd choice...."

"Oh, _because that happened to me before_..." Hisao put it bluntly. "I'm sure you had that thought before right? And it's not even a rare occurrence for con-artists everywhere!! People would go far and wide just to satisfy their own needs and wants!!"

I would be lying to myself if I said I'm not aware of that. Hisao must have made a fair share of deals and met more ruthless people that I do. With how unusually positive and giddy he is, he's able to tricked people into trusting his confidence. _But I wonder if he ever screwed up a deal before, will his confident act managed to get him out of it?_

"Awww, I'm really happy that you're thinking really hard for me! It shows that you're very worried about a criminal!!"

"No, that's not it.... I was wondering if there's a time that your own act wasn't able to fool anyone...."

"That's a story for another day!!" Hisao announced as he stood up. "Because I already blabber my ideas to you for too long!!! You will surely be able to catch me in the act once we get out of here!! And that would be terrible for me to try and make a living!! Though, I wouldn't be mind being captured by you! After all, you're the only person I would be willing to listen to!!"

"That's.... _not an investigator's job_..... unfortunately for you....." I stood up as well. "If you really wanna see me, then best to make a request.... but considering the amount of work I have to go through that stretches over months.... you will have to wait for a long time....."

"Awww.... that's boring.... maybe I can scammed one of your seniors so that you will have to leave your work space to see me!"

_"I admired your strong determination but **please don't do that**...."_

_'Yet again, Hisao's confident nature still remains strong even with just one person.... perhaps some other day, I will managed to tear that down.... I would really like see his true nature one day....'_

* * *

"Wait, little miss!!"

"Huh? What now?" I was heading towards the library to see if Nao and Machi needed my help or anything until Hisao stopped me. "What is it? Got another job for me?"

"Hmmm.... close!!" Hisao puffed out his chest. "You're heading towards the library, right? I almost forgot about my plan today until you came to see me!! I need your help with the library's archive!!"

"The archive....?" The last time anyone visited the archive, it was for those newspaper clippings. "You wanna find more clues in that room? Why not ask for Nao? She's the closest, you can ask her to accompany you...."

"No, no, this ain't a simple task for a pipsqueak...." Hisao waved his hand around. "Besides, I needed someone with your height to do this job!!"

_"Taiga would have been perfect"_, but the conman didn't listened as he drag me to the library with all of his strength as I kept on resisting.

* * *

The library's archive is a bit of a mess. While there are books neatly lined-up in their shelves, there ares still many miscellaneous books scattered all over floor, all from different categories and language. Carefully not stepping onto some important parchments, both of us were surprised that Nao and Machi wasn't around right now, they probably want to take a day off.

"Hmmm.... in every library archive, there's always a really suspicious spot for someone to hide important documents......" Hisao wondered, while looking around. "Think, little miss!! What's the stereotypical place would someone picked to try and hide their precious documents!?"

"_Inside a concrete wall, between the floor boards.... anywhere that has enough space for thinly-made book_....." I answered nonchalantly. I looked above the bookshelves and spotted one of it has a blue and white folder placed onto top of them, "Hisao, is there a stepladder around here?"

_"You can use my shoulders!"_

_"Anything is fine, just lift me up...."_

"Okay, wow, I guess respective gap doesn't matter in your book.." Hisao commented as he easily lifted me up with no problem. "Is this enough?"

"Yeah, just keep still...." My head is on the same level as the top of the shelves but I can easily get the folder, blowing away the dust. "I got it, you can put me down now...."

Hisao did so as his head rested on top of my shoulder while I flipped through the folder, "What did ya' find?"

"'_**Yumeino Ultimate Academy for Elites' Students Folder'**_......" I read the front cover out loud. "So it's the student profile folder.... we may be able to find our profile here if there's any ties to our missing memories....."

And so we skimmed through the folders of countless students from different classes, until we reached the student profiles of the 50th class. _Asami Mitsuru, Amahiko Shoma, Hanabusa Hinako_, everyone's data is included here, especially mine. I looked through my profile but nothing out of the ordinary, especially the guardian's name, _Hoshino Iwao (48 y.o, PI)_.

"Weird.... they only recorded your measurement but the rest are.....?" Hisao's page is almost entirely empty. Anyone could have mistaken it as nothing but an empty slot.

"Like I've said.... _I'm a criminal_..." Hisao shrugged. "If they recorded everything about me, then they would get into a big trouble for hiding a dangerous individual from the law enforcement. But take a look at this one.... there's another page after Hibiki's......"

_Setsu Hibiki's profile_ should be the last one in the list but he's right, there's strangely another profile included for our class; _**Oshiro Eiichi**, the **Ultimate Lucky Student**, _an entirely empty page.

_"I've never heard of this person....."_

"Me neither.... but he's in our class... then why is he not with us...?" I asked, still staring at mysterious 17th student in the list. "_Wait, his name wasn't even mentioned in the newspaper clippings_..... was he expelled?"

"That would have been mentioned here still....." Hisao tried to examined it thoroughly once more. "Who the hell is this ghost student? It's fucking creepy as hell...."

"Hmm.... I will keep this with me...." I closed the folder, tucking it into my jacket. "Once everyone's present then maybe we can ask them about this mysterious lucky student.... what kind of talent is that anyways?"

"The Ultimate Academy scouted out their talented students, right?" Hisao exclaimed. "Perhaps this person is one of the lucky students to get in without even being good at anything!" 

"_That's a bit of a downer_...."

"There's a lot of nonsense talents in the world, I'm sure this person would be fine not associating with such a strange, weird or morbid talents....." said Hisao, as he exited out of the archives. "Anyways, I think that's enough mystery for today!! That's a bountiful for sure!! Can't believe we missed another important one in the archive!"

_Tell me about it_, it's not really out in the open but if you looked around carefully, it's not that hard to miss it._ 'Was it there initially? Or did Monomyou secretly placed it there and waited for us to discover eventually?'_

Once again, another mystery to solve as we left the library. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Osame Hiroshi  
[ Title ] Ultimate Abseiler  
[ Height ] 169 cm  
[ Weight ] 58 kg  
[ Chest ] 57 cm  
[ Blood Type ] O  
[ D.O.B ] 21st November  
[ Likes ] Sour Candies and Sweet Drinks  
[ Dislikes ] Insects and Tight Spaces


	15. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Daily Life II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sumi confront Hisao about something she's been observing during the first two class trials. Meanwhile, the mysterious lucky student's existence made a much bigger impact than anyone could anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made some drawings of the charas (Of Sumi, Hinako, Nao and Mitsuru so far) and some comics, because I have no self-control in drawing, on my tumblr!! (https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Feel free to send an ask about my characters or the story in general!

_"Sao-chin.... just how much of your claims during the class trials has been your bluff all along?"_

"In the end, you're using that punishment nickname as an everyday thing now...." Hisao sighed, but put on a small smile at the end. "And what do you mean by that, little miss? Are you saying that I've been wildly speculating without putting too much thought in it?"

_It's exactly like that_, Hisao's confidence during the class trials never wavered so many of us assumed he's speaking the truth. But, it's his talent to fake confidence, isn't it? That thought lingered in my mind ever since the first trial and it's getting even more obvious since the last one. And so naturally, I got curious. "Well, how often did you do it?"

"How rude!" Hisao faked a gasp. "Are you calling me a liar?! How dare you, little miss!! You know I really hate liars!!"

"_And I hate really terrible actors_ yet I'm talking to one. You don't have to give a very lengthy answer, just either a _yes_ or _no_ would be enough....."

_"Either!!"_ Hisao grinned, playfully twirled around along with his coat. "You need to broaden your answers more, little miss!! After all!! It's hard to walk in the middle for a question like that!! While I may help a lot during the class trials, there's no guaranteed that most of my claims were anywhere true or completely made-up!!"

In other words, _he's not going to say it_. As expected, I thought he would be more open if being confronted alone. _Guess I'm the one who's underestimating him_, "But the things you brought up during the trials were the reasons why we're still alive right now so...._ it's a half-and-half truth and lie_...."

Hisao was quiet with a wide grin still on his face, then proceed to ask, "_Why do you exactly trust my words so much then?_ It's kind of dangerous considering your position, to blindly trust me so much when everyone else relied on your own knowledge so heavily!! I could be wrong and then you would try to back me up, completely steering us into the wrong direction? Are you really okay with that possibility happening one day?"

_He's technically right_, most of the answers we've reached in the end were thanks to him after all. Yet, if one day, if another class trial will happened and Hisao gave us the wrong clue and we've just doomed ourselves in the end. _Will that really be okay?_ "..... **_Perhaps_**...."

"Huh? _Perhaps_, what?" He's gotten way too close to my face after hearing that answer. "That's really scary, little miss!! You shouldn't say it like that!! After all, we shouldn't make any mistakes or else we're dead!! You memorized the rules of the trials' voting system, right?"

"I get that...." I gently pushed his face away. "I'm just saying that..... if you were wrong and we accidentally follow your own line of thought..... well, that would be entirely our fault for believing in it without thinking twice..... _but I would like to think that wouldn't happened anytime soon_....." 

"So that's the direct answer to my previous question then!!" He places his hands on his hips. "A 'half-and-half' answer as well!! My claims might be right and your judgement might be wrong!! As simple as that!! Though you're exactly right at that last part, it's still everyone's fault for believing my word!!"

_A simply cycle, a simple circle._ Everyone contributed their fair share of evidences and theories, _some of them were even correct._ But I doubt that everyone would fall for Hisao's _shot-in-the-dark_ claims that easily. _They're smart in their own special way_. "Not everyone is dependent on us..... _you simply provide your own findings and I simply refute..... that's all what we've been doing_....."

"You walked on a _thinly-made neutral line_, little miss....." the conman said as he played around with the split ends of his hair. "That's really bad, ya' know? _One day, you gotta choose a side like before_ and it will make you feel like an ass despite your choice!!"

"_Not like I was given any choice since the beginning_....." I muttered quietly under my breath. Thankfully, the conman didn't catch that as we proceed to head to the hotel in silence. It was reassuring to say the least, while Hisao himself is still an enigma, he doesn't really mean any harm.... _for now_. But I feel like the tension from before immediately washed away after talking to him.

From the outside, I can see everyone gathered around in the reception area with Renma and Shoma, probably showing them the book we found in the mortuary, "Say, Sao-chin..... have you ever heard of the _'**Ultimate Despair'**?_"

Immediately, he flinched and his eyes widened, "I've heard about it.... but..... hold on, is this one of your games, little miss? That I have to figure out by myself like what you did during the class trial? Please spare me the torture!!"

"I don't know much about it either, no worries....." It's the same reaction as Higura and others. No doubt, something's up with _'**The Tragedy**'_ and _'**Ultimate Despair**'_ being our personal switch. "I've just found out about it today....." 

As we entered the hotel, I can see the book with list of deaths on neatly opened up on the table with everyone surrounding it with worried and confused faces. Machi and Hibiki looked the most distraught. "Ren, Shoma.... _how was it?_"

"Ah, Sumi....." Shoma waved. "Hmmm.... as expected, all the critters reacted similarly but with no real explanation...."

"_Unfortunately_...." Renma pulled down his surgical mask so that I can hear him clearly. "A certain memory is being repressed deep within us to cause such convulsion..... even though we don't live through it or even remember much of it....... _it might have been an indirect cause_...."

_Indirect cause that leads us to be here? In this luxury hotel built by our supposed Ultimate Academy?_ I supposed....._** it's a far-fetched yet possible theory**_. "Sao-chin and I found something else as well.... we visited the library archive and found this on the very top of one of the shelves..... _it's our student profile_...."

"Huh!?" Nao jumped in her seat. "_A-Again!?_ But, we completely cleaned out that place yesterday and we've never seen that thing in there before!!"

"It's probably Monomyou's doing, placing it there discreetly....." Imagining the cat purposely spread dust all over the file, to make it seem like it was there for a long time, is quite amusing. "I want to ask everyone this question first; have you guys ever heard of the _**Ultimate Lucky Student**_, _**Oshiro Eiichi**?_"

"Ultimate _what-now?_" Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "Is there such thing?"

"What a lame-ass talent to specialized in!" Higura sneered. "If that talent actually exists, might as well let those unfortunate NEETs to enroll in a prestigious academy to show off their godly luck in games...."

"Sorry... doesn't really ring a bell...." Mitsuru confessed. "Why? Was he from our class?"

"_Weeeeell._......" Hisao sneakily took the folder right out of my hand. "He is placed under our class name but not sure if it's _on purpose_ or _by accident_. But nobody ever seen or heard of that name before, right? It's probably a mistake or something!!"

"_**But**_...." all eyes turned to the marksman, who's having a difficult time thinking. "Isn't that.... _Wait, no_.... Argh! Dammit!! _Why does that name sounds familiar!?_"

"_You too....?_" Machi admitted, with Hibiki who's also in distressed after hearing that name. "_Both of us_.... I mean, it's still not clear but _we both have heard of that name before_......"

**_Odd_**, why do some of us don't remember it but others do? Why only Taiga, Machi and Hibiki? Were they close friends of this mysterious lucky student before entering here? This memory loss thing is getting really inconvenient for us, it has a different effect for each and everyone of us.

"Gosh,_ this is getting so annoying_...." Hisao clicked his tongue. "The more clues we find, the more fucked up our mind is!! If these are the only survivors who slightly remembered who _**Oshiro Eiichi**_ is, then imagine how much ground we will break if we still have the others with us! _They could have potentially remembered them as well!!"_

_Would they though?_ We never heard of it until now that we found the file. They could have reacted similarly like Taiga and others and it still wouldn't give us any answer. "Whoever this person is..... we might have to watch our backs.... who knows that one day, _he might appear and is planning to kill one of us_...."

In a flash, I jumped and took the file quickly from Hisao before he could even react, leaving the conman whining and pouts. Everyone started to look wary after I said that last line, fearing for that day that has yet to come. _'Better be safe than sorry.....'_ I tucked the student file under my arm._ 'There's a reason why Monomyou even placed it out in the open.... it's definitely a clue to our missing memories... but where do it even fit in....?'_

"_By the by, everyone_...." Amane coughs, grabbing away our attention away from the solemn topic. "Has anyone seen that annoying host of ours? Their empty presence has really left this place feeling........ _not lively_....."

"Furfuck is too busy trying to find some messed-up shit to reward us for the last trial...." Higura replied, his voice noticeably strained when mentioned about the class trial. "_That fuckin' animal is not done toying with us just yet_....."

Motives after motives, everyone has become reasonably on edge and tired from everything. _It feels like they're giving up soon if this thing keeps on going_.......

_"So, leader? What do you think we should do now with the clues we have and with Monomyou distracted?"_

"H-Huh...?" I was taken aback with how Shoma addressed me. _A leader...?_ _Me? _Nobody corrected him or even stepped forward to claim it...._ they're all looking at me_. "I..... _I'm_......"

"_**We**'re gonna have to stay put for now_...." Hisao grabbed my shoulder back, as he spoke. "It's too risky to go on ahead while that cat plush could be lurking around and waiting for one of us to mess up! Also, _don't be too dependent on little miss!!_ Look how terrified she is!!"

"It's natural to think of her as a leader....." Hibiki pointed out. "After all, she leaded most of the investigations while we just found the smaller parts-"

"**_That's because all of you are lazy to even wanna solve it by yourself_**. " Hisao frowned, gripping onto my shoulder way too much until it hurts. "It's pretty obvious, ya' know? All of you are too scared to even want to solve a mystery by your own and fearing for your life on the line so all of you relied on the professional to the work for you!"

"T-That's not it!!" Mitsuru defended. "Sumi is just more experienced than all of us so-"

_"**What if she turned out to be the future culprit and she purposely mislead you all?**"_

The room suddenly turned cold, a heavy dreadful feeling filled the air. I was speechless by what he's suggesting, _'Me...? A culprit....? I....'_. Instinctively, I swatted the hand off of my shoulder, "_I'm not planning to kill anyone here_.... and for all we know, you're probably the only one who's thinking about it....."

"H-Hey!! I've been acting like your assistant for the past two trials and this is how you're gonna treat me!?" Hisao acted hurt, _acted_. "I'm terribly wounded by your words, little miss!! How could you say something like that!?"

"_**Anyways**_....." Ignoring his pleas, I turned to everyone else. "_That won't happened_.... I can promise everyone that. I really want to get out of this killing game, no matter what, but that thought alone won't make me resort into killing anyone here ever...."

"_Y-Yeah, dipshit!!_" Higura is the first one to speak up after being stunned. "That's a huge ass accusation for someone who always messes around during the class trials!!"

"_You even managed to take a nap during the last trial_....." Machi sighed. "Yeah... from there on.... I trusted you even less and I didn't think it could even go lower than before....."

_"I'm being bullied!! This is the worst! Little miss, make them stop!! I will seriously repent for my words!! For real!!_

_Why does it feel like he was distracting them with that question?_ Especially with what we were talking about before this. Everyone did react really heavily with the part of leaving the investigation to Hisao and I so.... _did that came from his own heart? Was he actually that frustrated about everyone being too dependent on us and wanted everyone to think for themselves now?_

While everyone's busy humoring themselves, I looked over to Hisao still faking his hurt reaction and in a soft tone, "_Was that actually the truth?_"

Making sure the others is not looking at him to deliver any insults next, he just grinned and said, "_You can believed it as such, little miss!_"

As obscure as that answer is, it still managed to make me smile, "An enigma still.... _you're definitely the worst_....."

_"Okay, I'm seriously hurt here... stop bullying me!!"_

Everyone dispersed once that chaos is over, Renma suggested that he will keep the book with him while the rest agreed that I will keep the student folder in my room. I still have enough free time to hang out with someone and for some reason, my thought went to the mortuary, which I decided to make my way there.

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

_"Oh, Mitsun? I thought you're scared of this place?"_

"Hey, Sumi!!" Mitsuru was organizing something on the table. It looked like some kind of kit that Renma used for embalming. "Well at first I was!! But the more I spent my time here, the less scared I am right now!! Plus, Ren needed my makeup kit so I'm here to deliver it!!"

"I see....." an unlikely partnership between the mortician and cosmetologist. No matter what, it's really jarring to see a really bright person like Mitsuru _(both appearance and spiritual-wise)_ being surrounded with grey and blue hues of the room. "_Both of you are surprisingly similar in terms of work_...."

"You mean _the embalming part_ and _the makeup applications thingy_, right?" Mitsuru nodded as if she's asking that question to herself. "Surprisingly, yeah! Almost similar!! Well, I applied my skills on the living while Ren applied his on the dead. But I think Ren just want to test something out......"

"That's..... _really vague_....." Maybe I can talk to Renma tomorrow about his work, if he feels like it. "Say, Mitsun... why did you decided to became a cosmetologist?"

"Hmm.... I thought it would be fun, you know!! Like, riding a bicycle for the first time!"

"_I.... I'm sure there's more to that though_......"

"Just kidding!!" Mitsuru laughed. "Well, I just got curious about it, that's all! Back then, I wasn't really into deep about beauty and such because I was actually curious about the science part of it!! I got bored studying building parts and engineering and stuffs that too mechanical for me to comprehend so I decided to become a wild chemist beautician!"

"That's.... _actually a really accurate description for someone with your talent_....." So she focuses more onto the science part of things? I can see Shoma and Mitsuru getting along really well.

"Of course, I started off experimenting with stuffs!! Like hair dye and such things, I always tested them out and mixing stuffs up for more wilder results!!" Mitsuru combed through her hair. "It's a worthwhile result even!! Like, my hair is actually brown but now they're lilac!! Like permanently lilac, ya' know!"

_"P-Permanently....? Isn't that really dangerous....?"_

"Cosmetology itself is a dangerous landmine!!" said Mitsuru. "We're constantly getting exposed with dangerous chemicals and rays!! All for the sake of beauty and to satisfy our clients!! Well, I'm more about the end results after the treatment than our initial goals but it's usually worthwhile!!"

"Have you ever messed up a treatment...?" I asked, curiously. I know Mitsuru is wild but this is way off than what I imagined her to be.

"Can't say for sure!! Sometimes, the clients will ended up looking different but ended up liking the alternative version more than what they initially requested!!" Mitsuru answered with a wide smile. "That happened way too much and sometimes by accident!! And sometimes, I don't even know what I did to produce such colorful results!!"

"_That's a miracle_....." So even to herself, she's full of surprises. I couldn't imagine the reactions of her clients, whether they were rather with the result that differs from what they have requested. "So you've changed your passion from engineering to beautician. May I know what's your previous focus was?"

"Plant engineering!!" she answered that way too cheerfully. " I got really bored after the first year..... nothing in that course even excite me anymore so I dropped out early before graduation!! Even though my teachers begged for me to stay and finished it first but I completely lost my interest in it!!"

_That is not the kind of reason you would hear from someone who specialises in such a heavy-duty field but at the same time, this is exactly the reason I would expect from someone like her._

"Of course, my grandparents were really mad at me for picking such a low-bearing field but eventually they have to learn and stick with what I'm passionate about!! Even though my experiments tends exploded off parts of their house way too much!!"

_Have to learn and stick with it? Was she not that close with her grandparents? What about her parents then? Are they not around? It feels too soon so talk about them, not when she's having much fun explaining-_

"Wait, _you exploded your grandparents' house_....?" that last line didn't quite registered well in my head and I can't believed I almost missed that.

"Yeah! Their house got remodeled way too much until it looked like that kind of fun house from an amusement park!!" Mitsuru clapped her two hands together as she said. "I would love for you to see it!! It's really colorful and wildly decorated!! Of course, I will surely treat you like a guest if you ever come over!! Heck, I can even give you one of my special hair treatments for free!! They usually cost thousands, you know, so consider yourself lucky!!"

_Wild, colorful and just full of surprises_, the three things I have learned to associate Mitsuru with today. With how cheery and bright she is, her personality completely overshadow her quick-wittedness, even though she doesn't show it that much.

_'Hearing her colorful experiments is like a roller coaster ride but I really had fun talking to her.... maybe one day, I would witness her doing those sort of _ _experiments in person- Ah, if I have my own safety gear prepared that is.....'_

* * *

_It's almost evening time...._

And almost no sign of Monomyou interrupting us or whatsoever. It almost felt weird without that thing barging in and throw something right at our face to get us going. I sighed, _'It's better if that thing stayed away right now.... everyone is still tense from that book and the student file.....'_

Mindlessly spacing out at the reception area, I think back of the first two class trials, _'Four deaths.... two betrayals....... and two innocents...... no matter how much they tried to justified their actions..... I can't find any excuse for it..... even though they're my friends......'_

I frowned at that thought, _'Friends, huh...... even Shoma said so himself.... even with others being freaked out a bit by his sudden change of attitude and gimmicks..... I wonder how everyone handled the news about Renma's own mortuary room as well......'_

_"Sumi....?"_

"Ah, Hibiki....." I was leaning my head over the head cushion of the sofa, as Hibiki leaned over to check on me. Sitting up straight, Hibiki took the seat right across mine. "Why are you here?"

"I was looking for you... _to talk about something_....." Hibiki looked sideways. "Regarding the last trial's _secret motive_.... it's been bothering me so I hoped you don't mind talking about it....."

_About that, huh?_ "_My secret motive is about my injury_, yes?" Earning a nod in return, I continued on. "Monomyou must have used that as an advantage point instead of a blackmail.... I didn't expect that cat would aim for a low-blow like that....."

"Which is why I decided to keep it secured, I fear someone would used it as an advantage against you....." Hibiki explained. "Though I'm also worry about your own condition, Sumi..... with a disadvantage like that.... wouldn't that make you an easier target rather than a culprit like the conman suggested?"

"_They can try_......" I massaged my right shoulder, the residual pain is still there. It happened a long time ago and not everyone, _even my mentor_, knew about it. _That incident_ is kept as a secret by myself. "Besides, I'm perfectly healed up.... there's no need to worry......"

"If.... _you say so_....." Hibiki doesn't look like she want to let this conversation go but seeing the persistence of my well-being must have changed her mind. "I also wanted to talk about the lucky student from earlier, _Eiichi_..... it feels like I'm the only one who remembered this but.... _isn't he a close friend of yours_...?"

"A.... _what?_" I didn't expect the lucky student topic to be brought up again so that took me off by surprise. "L-Like I've said.... I don't remember anyone with that name or talent....... my school memories are completely wiped off...."

"..... I suffered from a massive headache right after I heard that name....." Hibiki confessed. "And I remembered only bits of when we're in that ultimate academy.... but.... y_ou and Eiichi were really close friends, there's no doubt about it_....."

I don't know what to say but that's literally it,_ I don't know anything_. Not all of my school memories came back so I can't disproved her memories now, not when mine is also vague as hell. But I thought about _the dream I had yesterday_, _could that be it?_ "I..... _I had a dream_...... it was about our graduation day... like what those newspaper clippings said...... everyone was there and......I...... _I think that lucky student was there_......"

"So he really was from our class....." Hibiki's eyes widened. "Do you remember some of it?"

"It's hazy but..... _I'm sure he was there_....." _He even called me_ '_Sumi'_. My anxiety keeps spiking up now that I brought it up. "I even addressed him directly...... but since his name wasn't mentioned in the newspaper clipping...... on the memorial list...... then.... _**he's still alive**_....."

_Is he the supposedly fake player that Hisao mentioned? Even though he's not with us right now but still...._

"But what does that mean for us...? For those who remembered him almost vividly...?" Hibiki asked. "Are we.... supposed to remember something important?"

I gripped onto the arms of the sofa as more questions started pressing on. _What's going on? Why are we now remembering it? What's Oshiro Eiichi's involvement in all of this? In this killing game... if he's even in it......Where is he now-_

_"Sumi... you're going to tear off the leather of that sofa...."_

_"Huh?" _Snapping back into reality, I didn't realized I dug my fingers deep into the leather sofa until I let go, nail marks still visible all over it with a bit of a tear. I placed both of my hands on my lap this time, making sure I'm causing anymore damaged to nearby furniture, "I'm sorry.... got into a very intensive thinking moment....."

"_You looked really scary just now_....." Hibiki commented. "I thought you would actually passed out if you overthink too much....... but.... I guess it's no use at the end, neither of us really remembered who he is....."

"But we can confirmed that he's one of our classmates and he may still be alive....." I tried to focus on the positive side of things. "We may not know anything for now but if we tried and find more clues like we did just now.... _everything will become clear and we might even find someone responsible for this killing game_....."

Hibiki let out a small chuckle, "Spoken like a true leader..... Ah, I wonder what made that conman really mad when I said that just now? I didn't expect for him to explode just like Higura......"

I've just picked up on this but..... _they really just called him 'that conman' after all this time_. I rarely hear them say his name directly but even if they did, it's always out of spite. _Do they distrust him that much?_ "Who knows? _He's a mystery after all_....."

"Ahahaha, no denying that....."

"_Sumi_...!" Another familiar voice rang out behind me. I didn't have to look behind me to know who it is until the biologist walked over to my line of sight, "Are you busy....?"

"We're just having a chat, Shoma...." I smiled as I patted the empty space next to me. "You can join in if you want to....." The biologist nodded and happily skipped his way and sat down, next to me. "So.... was everyone used to your new self, now?"

"Hmmm..... they're still confused..... but they think this self is more understandable......" said Shoma, in his usual tone. "Even though my critter speech still stayed.... they've gotten way too close to me all of the sudden!!"

_That's a relief_, I was afraid they would shunned Shoma out for faking his personality around everyone else. Considering the outcome of the last trial, they're all now wary about everything being completely _fake_..... _Saku faked his views, Shoma faked his personality and Renma, while not entirely, faked his ultimate talent_. And now, we're dealing with new clues to our past...... that could really be _that_.

_'It's such a coincidence that we found it once we went back in there again that I can't help but thinking that it might be fake as well..... yet, we still remembered something similar to it...... is it possible they were **fake memories**....?' _

_"... Is that even possible..?"_

"Hm?"

"Ah, it's nothing..." I didn't realized I've said out loud but Shoma at least didn't ask about it afterwards. "So, did you find anything else in the mortuary?"

"Hmmm.... no..... just mortuary equipment and books....." Shoma twirled the scalpel in his hand. "Nothing too out of the ordinary for Ren's own room...... though it's strange that the dead room doesn't have any locks to it..... so Ren sealed the door using his barrier seal charms....."

_"H-His what now?" _Both Hibiki and I asked in confusion.

"_Barrier Seal Charms_...." Shoma repeated, not really making any sense. Or he could be referring to the parchment papers that mortician always carried around under his jacket, when we first knew him as just a medium. "They're strong adhesive......"

While listening to him, my eyes were glued on the scalpel in his hand, "Where did you get that from?"

"Hm...? They were in the critter's room to begin with.....!" The biologist stopped twirling the scalpel for a bit. "After all.... this critter likes collecting live specimen to dissect.....! I even helped Ren with several autopsy down the-"

_"On who?" _ That casual mention of autopsy on an unidentified corpse shouldn't be disregard that easily there, I don't know why did the biologist just mentioned it like that.

It took Shoma a while to answer, "_No one knows_, there's no records in the room about them.... even Ren doesn't know who they are.... they were there when it opened up for them..... but when we did the autopsy.... their bodies are _**strange**_....."

Hibiki trembled a bit with the mention of dead bodies being cut up while I'm too preoccupied by their findings, "_Strange as in_....?"

"_Not internal or external wounds_...... or.... their bodies were in pristine condition with no faults.... _nothing that results in their death_......" Shoma explained. "Ren suggested it might be related to their brain but.... neither of us, critters, are expert in cut-"

"_Why on earth did Monomyou leave those bodies there then_.....?" I didn't mean to cut him off, that question has been bugging ever since I first walked into that room.

"_I-I think I have to excuse myself_....." Hibiki stood up, a bit wobbly in her stance. "S-Sorry.... I don't do well with.... _gruesome explanation about death and corpses_....."

_Right, she always looked away when around corpses (even though she insisted on guarding near one before) and after the trial ended when we were forced watch that_..... **_thing_**. "It's alright, Hibiki... sorry for bringing it up around you....."

Hibiki just nodded and leave the both of us be, presumably heading towards her own room to rest for now. 

With just the two of us, we begin to awkwardly shift around, thinking about another topic to talk about._ 'Well.... I'm not sure what to talk about anymore.... I did have a lot of question to ask him before but I think they're useless to do so now.....' _"Say, Shoma.... what do you think of _that mysterious lucky student? About Oshiro Eiichi?"_

Shoma is always silent, in every discussion that the group had, he always stayed quiet. Possibly wanting everyone to state their opinion first before he could even say or think about his. _I wonder what goes through his head during those moments._

"Hm..... this critter doesn't know why but...... **_I despised him_**....."

"Huh? Why?" _Despised him?_ Even though he don't remembered him that well? "D-Did you also remembered something....? Something that made you say that.....?"

"...... Don't know but..... deep inside this critter's gut...... _I despises this lucky student critter_......." Shoma frowned, the kind that he usually shows whenever someone tried to take off his nautilus hat. "...... _Usually a really bad thing if I dislike something._......" 

_A close friend of mine yet it's someone Shoma really hate?_ What kind of impression that this person gave back then? I never thought the biologist would come to hate anyone, especially when there's someone like Hisao whom he just _tolerates_. 

"I.... _I'm not so sure of myself_..... on what to think about who this mystery student really is......" I confessed. "But, to be honest,_ I do want to believe that he isn't a bad person_..... but if he is, then you're free to hit me for having that thought....."

"_We won't blame you if you turned out to be wrong, Sumi_...." exclaimed Shoma. "We're aware that you don't have all the answers..... _and you're struggling to find them as well_...... that's why we're trying our best to help! We don't want to burden you with anything at all!!"

_That.... came out of nowhere......_

I meant for that _'hit me'_ part to be a joke but it just made Shoma upset and took it really seriously. _Does this sudden burst of determination have to do with what Hisao said before?_ About them being too dependent? It.... _actually affect him that much?_

"I don't mind....." I have to be careful on what I say here or else the biologist might do something with that scalpel in his hand. "I don't mind if everyone relied on me to search for a way out but..... _I also wouldn't mind if you guys wanted help me out_....."

"Ahahaha.... Finally Sumi critter asked for help.....!" Shoma put away the scalpel, into his lab coat's pocket. "A relief for this critter......! Sumi finally learned how to cry for help........!"

_Cry for help_, so he's just worried. Worried that all of this will be too much for me but won't act until I actually ask for it._ '.... If I can't ask for help, then how else could I receive it....' that phrase sounds really familiar._

"I've learned this from some land critter but......!!" Shoma held out his pinky with a bright smile. "Let us make a promise.....! _A promise that no one should hold all the burden!!_ We should be dependent on each other starting now....!"

_So forceful_, it doesn't sound like he's gonna take a 'no' as an answer. It's a new side of him that I haven't fully comprehend, but it still _'him'._ As I linked my pinky with his and a small smile to match, "I promise...... _I'm not gonna do anything on my own_......"

_Amahiko Shoma is my friend after all and I trust him. _

_Something I haven't done for the longest of time. _

_Actually trusting someone for once. _

_......_

_And for once, I blindly believed that. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Yokoda Machi  
[ Title ] Ultimate Librarian  
[ Height ] 175 cm  
[ Weight ] 63 kg  
[ Chest ] 64 cm  
[ Blood Type ] B  
[ D.O.B ] 25th September  
[ Likes ] Hardworking people  
[ Dislikes ] Snobby people


	16. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Daily Life III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reward motive is here with such promising results yet a certain someone is against the idea proposed by their dearest host.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm calling this chapter with its subtitle, 'It's Past Time, Baby' and it will still fit.

......

_"Hey...... guess I screwed that up real bad 'till it put you in such a bad mood..."_

............

_"I'm sorry.... but I just don't really like this game you're playing.... forcing myself to be friends with everyone here..... they're all lunatics...."_

.......................

_" ["That shouldn't be said by someone like you, who liked to be pushed around"] is what you're going to say right? I can tell from your face...."_

_.................................._

_"Fine... I will play along a little longer..... I don't want to be cast aside like that, okay? I want to make friends with other **Ultimates** too.... even though I don't have that **talent**-"_

* * *

_"Eiichi....?"_

Feebly, I found myself awake an hour before the morning announcement even hits, my arm reaching out as if I'm trying to grab onto something..... _something getting away. 'I.... unconsciously called that person 'Eiichi'..... someone that I don't really recognized..... could that really be him....? A person with no talent.... just **luck**...... '_

After a long day of discussing the clues we've found, I immediately retired to my room, tuned out the nighttime announcement and collapsed onto my bed, that conversation with Shoma yesterday still resonates deeply within me, "It's fine.... _It should be fine_..... I want to believe in others more than ever...... _there's no reason for me to be ignorant right now_....."

Kicking away the covers, I spotted something on the desk that's nearby; _a big brown envelop with my name on it,_ "What the....? _What on earth is this_....?"

_'Is this the next motive?'_, my thought immediately came into that conclusion. Without wasting any time, I opened up the envelope and inside it.... _was a script for a play? _"_Wha_\- It's not even in Japanese...? Or English.....?"

It's a script that's provided by Monomyou, as stated on the bottom of the front cover and while I don't understand the language used here, _I can definitely tell this whole thing is written in German_. "Is that thing seriously going to ask us to translate this entire 10-page script to get our next motive....?" _This will be the most easiest motive to be ignored completely_.

_'I have no idea how the hell we could even discuss anything about this but.....'_ I carefully placed it back into the envelope. _'.... Maybe there's a clue within these lines that we should decode or something..... for now.... I really need a shower....'_

* * *

_"Ah, little miss!! You're early!!"_

"_Same goes to you_....." I expected the dining hall to be empty since it's a few minutes before the announcement so Hisao's presence was a an unexpected ssurprise. Sprawled across the dining table is the same script I've received earlier, "You too? I have a feeling they're the same thing-"

"_They're asking us to set up a play, right?_" Hisao asked, pointing at the rest of the script that's placed neatly above the envelope. "I've translated half of it already..... it's a scripture of _Faust_.... there's a bit of similarities to _Goethe's _but with more minor details and stuffs...."

"You.... _understand German_....?" _And he's knowledgeable in theatrical as well_.

"I used to take German Language classes during middle school....." Hisao stretches his hands further back, taking a short break. "I also went to a very international school so I easily picked up different languages whenever I can...... that hellhole was expensive but hey! _It's a starting point for me as an Ultimate_, ya' know?

_That's..... where he started?_ Scamming people out of their pockets just to continue his education...... he said something about being disowned by his family way back then as well. I..... I didn't expect this kind of background from Hisao, himself, _'Ah.... while I'm really curious about that..... there's still this thing to worry about..... some other time if he decided to blabber his life again....'_

"_So_...." I placed my own script onto the table and while I didn't say anything, Hisao took it right out of my hand. I didn't make any comment about it, I kind of expecting for him to do that. "Do you think we all have the same thing or....?"

"_Yes and no_.... everyone's roles are different..... the lines are all the same but the roles are different....." he stared intensely onto the page before giving it back. "Apparently for once, _I'm the main lead, Heinrich Faust..... _and you little miss is playing the role of the devil themselves!! _Mephistopheles!!_ Ah, such a fitting role!!"

"_Mephis_\- _what?_"

"_Mephisto_...." Hisao thankfully shortened the name for me.

"_The role of the Devil_..... why, am I really that _threatening_.....?"

"Don't worry, little miss!! You definitely have that elegant aura surrounding you! Even though your scariness is just half-baked, your elegance will sure pull through your bad acting!!"

_"**I'm gonna punch you, Sao-chin**...."_

Hisao instinctively put up his hands when he heard that. I sighed as I looked back at the script, "But what's the purpose of doing this, anyways....? It's not like we would find a clue about our past memories in this one...._ I could hardly even call this a **motive**_...."

_"**What if the motive lies within the roles themselves?**"_

"What was that?" Hisao just put on his usual grin; the same expression that I've learned to take it as, _'Nope, I'm not telling you what I'm thinking about right now! You figure it out!' _and _I've been expecting to receive this kind of treatment from him after relentlessly picking on him yesterday._

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement from your dearest host!! I would like to make a special announcement!! I have now given each and everyone of you your late rewards for a job well-done for surviving the last class trial!! Make sure to read through properly!! It will all be explained once everyone gathered around at the dining room this afternoon!_ _ Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

"_So it is a motive after all_....." I begin tapping onto the dining table, if Monomyou had to explain the stuffs themselves then it isn't something we should be dismissive about, "But why making us do a play about it....? Were they really that bored....?"

"Hey, I would be if there's no killing happening yet!" Hisao laughed once I delivered a glare. "Besides, maybe they just got tired of entertaining you guys who are always down and gloomy. This time, _they wanted to be entertained by us!_"

"I thought this entire killing game is their source of entertainment...." _I'm not asking for one._

_"People can get bored of killing too, you know? _They probably want a change of pace for once and involved everyone!! Make a close-knitted friendship once we all worked together to put up this show!!"

_A close-knitted friendship_, we don't really spend the much together as a group. We're always in twos or threes, but never as a group, huh? _Just when Shoma talked about depending on one and another too as well...._

Speaking of the devil, the biologist and librarian have just entered the dining hall with similar looking envelops in their hands, "Good morning, you two...."

"Ah.... Sumi....." Shoma was smiling, but immediately turned sour once he saw Hisao. ".... and _you_....."

"Awww, no need to get so mad!! I'm not stealing your precious friend away after exposing the liar that is the _**Ultimate Mortician**_....." Hisao aggravates him. "Oh, but maybe I should try and steal little miss away? After all, _she wouldn't get any benefits from a couple of **liars** here_, don't you think so?"

"_Hisao, stop_...." I warned him, he.... _really hate liars that much?_ Even when he is one himself?

"_Please_, I don't want to have to step in some bloodthirsty feud between the two most and possibly dangerous people left in this hotel...." Machi sighed, taking the seat besides me. "After yesterday's mental-draining talk, I didn't have that much peace to myself...."

_Right, he's one of the people who also remembered something about the Ultimate Lucky Student. Is it wise to bring it up now? About my dream earlier-_

"Hey.... those are the things in the envelope, right....?" Machi eyed on the papers scattered all over the table. "I was confused at first... I seriously thought Monomyou was just messing with us but it turns out it's a serious thing, huh?"

"Unfortunately....." It would be much better if it weren't. "But... it doesn't seem like a harmless thing for now.... it's just for a play we're supposed to perform....."

"A... _play?_" the librarian raised an eyebrow. "_Is that cat out of ideas already??_"

"Well, we shouldn't give that thing anymore ideas if we're not satisfied with the rewards...." A voice was suddenly heard from the dining hall entrance, I looked back to see a very irritated Amane, who look completely disheveled. "Honestly, I couldn't barely stand a single second listening to that feline pest's demands....... _pressuring to compose music in just a day_....."

"They're...... only giving us a day.....?" Shoma asked, his head tilt to one side. "This critter thinks..... it's not sufficient enough......"

"Nope, it's totally enough!!" Hisao threw the rest of script onto the table like it's nothing. "_This is just the first part of play_, which means it's more or so dialogue-heavy..... unless Monomyou wanted to make a musical out of it in which case, _knock themselves out_..... but there's nothing much happening in this part so it's a pretty short one if you ask me!"

"You've..... _read this?_"

"Wow, no one believes someone like me could also have other special talents or abilities that much?" Hisao faked a sob. "_I'm crushed!!_... But if it's someone like Amane who doesn't believed me, then I wouldn't be so emotional about it!"

"_**Watch your mouth**_...." Amane hissed.

"_**Make me**_..." Hisao retaliates, holding a pocket knife in one hand.

"What's going on here....?" Mitsuru and Higura entered the room, and immediately Hisao retracts back his knife, _why on earth did he have that with him?_ Higura just stared at everyone who's either really exhausted or acting rather strangely, "_Apparently having one fucking normal day is way out of the question right now_....."

"S-Sorry for coming in with such a bad timing....." Mitsuru apologized making her way over to sit next Machi, followed by Higura, _who looked different today_._ 'His hair..... the tips are dyed with slightly purplish hue.... were they-'_

"Anyways, what's with the furfuck's reward? I don't really get it..." Higura started. "That shithead came into my room begging for stuffs to be done in one day and_ I fucking hope I get something out of it for a rushed commission_..."

"Monomyou also came to me but just for my makeup skills....." Mitsuru fidgets a little in her seat. "So, it's true, huh? _We're gonna do a play or something....?_"

"It appears so...." Renma and Hibiki appeared next, followed by Taiga, Nao and Hiroshi behind them. Renma's appearance also changed drastically, with his silver locks now freely draped over his right shoulder, "It appears some people have been asked to do their part in the production or during the play...."

"Little miss and I will be acting..." Hisao mentioned it as he motioned everyone to show their scripts as well, and they reluctantly did. After examining most of their things, he finalised them, "So, _little miss, Hibiki, Nao, Taiga, Hiroshi _and _I will be acting, Amane _is in charge of the_ music, Mitsuru and Higura are both in charge of stage planning, costumes and makeup...... _which leaves Shoma, Machi and Renma the only people who wouldn't take part in this!"

"Thank god for that...." Machi mumbled into his hands. "Still...... this is way too weird even as a motive.... like... _what's the real threat here_....?"

** _"The Time Limit!!!"_ **

** **

Out of nowhere, Monomyou suddenly dropped down onto the table with a loud sound that startled everyone nearby, even Shoma and Hisao who are both taking out their scalpel and pocket knife respectively. "Eeek!! _Such strong reaction from the dangerous duo!!_ It frightens me to no end!!!" Monomyou shrieked. "Anyways!! I hope everyone liked my entrance!! I heard that everyone misses me!! Gosh, I feel so, _so loved!!"_

"_We've been dreading your existence, ever since we got here_...." Hibiki commented. "What's the deal with this thing you gave to us? How is this a reward...?"

"Ah well!!" Monomyou explained themselves. "Since everyone already gathered here so early in the morning!! Best to say with it, _nya_' know? Ackh- I stuttered!!! A-anyways!!! It's just a simple group project!! A little_ 'getting-along'_ project, that's it!! All of you were so tense around each other after _certain two people showing their true colors!!!_"

_Shoma and Renma_, they weren't even being subtle about it. As far as I'm concerned, only _Hisao, Mitsuru_ and _Higura _were accustomed to this change. I'm not sure about the rest.

"So!! I proposed a play that everyone can enjoy!!!" Monomyou exclaimed. "A play that encourage teamwork and _other-togetherness-terms-that's-too-boring-to-say-out-loud-without-sounding-interesting!! _Also!! I needed a break from being you guys' host as well!! I wanna be entertained by your _**Ultimate talent **_for once!!"

"What happened if we said _'no'_ instead....?" Amane asked, disgruntled.

"Nyahahaha!! _Are you reaaaally sure you wanna reject this proposal??_" Monomyou snickers. "This is also _**a time limit motive**_ after all!!! If ya' failed to finish it within that limit, then _something terrible will befall on you wonderful actors!! _But!! I made sure it would be a great finale for you all!! But!! If ya' did it, _then I will return your school memories back!!_"

"You, _what?_" My eyes widened at that revelation. _They will just give it away, just like that?_

"That's what everyone wanted, right? Your memories from when all of you attended that _**Ultimate Academy**_! Well, worried not!!!" Monomyou struck a pose. "Your beloved host will provide it to you!! Well, provide _part_ of your school memories to you, but it's something!!! _Nyahahaha_, if it sounds like a great deal to you then _better get up and at em' with your performance!! Toodles'!!_"

With that, Monomyou scurries away as usual, leaving everyone stunned by what they're proposing.

"I.... _I'm not hallucinating that, right_.....?" Hiroshi stammered. "They... they would actually give us the answers......?"

"Let's not be fooled by such an alluring reward....." Amane scoffed. "They've said themselves, _'partial'_ memories will only be returned to us. What are the chances that those memories wouldn't give us any answers at all? _It would be a waste of time to consider it_...."

"It's worth a shot......" Hibiki frowned. "Even though it's not much..... we cannot simply dismissed this due to its _**time limit motive**_. It's still similar to our first cas-"

"_**I'm against that**_...." Amane countered back. "My apologies, my dearest muse, but I'm simply against the idea of all of us working together. After all, the last two times we did ended up in very disastrous results, didn't it?_ How much difference will it make for this motive in particular?_"

Amane..._. has gotten really hostile all of the sudden_ but at the same time, _everyone's getting desperate for answers at this point_. I get what's he's saying, we're still playing right into Monomyou's trap here. But if that _**time limit motive**_ really is true... then..... _we don't exactly have any choice here_.

"I-I.... I'm sorry, Amane but..... _we shouldn't ignore this_...." I have to admit it, _but it's for our own survival_. "Even if it isn't much.... as long as all of us made out alive and completing that _time limit motive_... then...._ it's not something all of us can reject altogether_....."

The composer just stare straight at me before exhaling a deep sigh, "_**How unfortunate**_.... Miss. Investigator has learned to grow a backbone for these fiends.... I thought you would be different from that fencer..... I'm both impressed and disappointed by your decision...... you may do as you wish.... but whatever falls after that, _that will be you taking the role_...."

With that, he just simply walked away, without sparing a glance at others. I clutched onto my chest, _that heavy feeling is back_,_ 'Calm down, he's just saying his thoughts. Nothing's bad gonna happened. He's just disappointed that we're still following along the motive....'_

"I will prepare everyone's breakfast...." Machi awkwardly excused himself with Nao following close to help him. No one else said anything at all, everyone is still stunned by both Monomyou and Amane's outbursts. Even Hibiki, who never show any interest towards the composer, even looked hurt by his words, _'... From the start.... Hibiki has always been disinterested in everything.... saying it wouldn't matter if we stayed alive but...... she has grown a bit and wanted to get out of here alive with everyone else.... so hearing those same words from a different person must have shocked her.....'_

"_Ah well, it's his loss_...." Hisao dismissed the dreadful atmosphere surrounding everyone right now. "It doesn't matter if he's joining or not, _the time limit_ is still ticking down after all..... we just gotta focus on ourselves and don't mind the extras!!"

_How are you still so cheerful,_ it's getting really frustrated to hear him going on and on after every disagreement we made. But..... _that's just me. That's just my own existentialism talking_. "_You don't have to say it like that_..... but as long we get it done... then perhaps.... _**it doesn't matter**_....."

"Yup, yup!! It doesn't matter indeed!!" Hisao swung his arm around my shoulders. "As long as we all got our head in this play, then everything will go as smoothly as we can!!!"

One by one, everyone just give out a nod in agreement and went on with their lively talk. It took me a while to acknowledge Hisao's attempt to back us away from the table as he said,_ "Best to keep an eye out for Amane........."_

_"What...?"_

".... Only caught a glimpse of it but...... _there's still leftovers in that brown envelope_...... I don't think he only received just the script..." Hisao frowned. "He must have gotten something else that made him think otherwise of this motive........"

"I see....." So that's why he didn't stop Amane from leaving or even reconsider his opinion,_ it's because of that thing_. Then, the composer is the only one who knew what's going on for this motive..... _why?_

"Heeeeey!! You two better not making out over there!!!" Higura yelled out to us. Letting go of my shoulder, Hisao replied, "_Come on, it's not like we're the only people here with a lovey-dovey relationship!!_"

"_Y-You take that back, you fucking son of a bitch!!!_" the graphic designer looked flustered. This comment also made Mitsuru burying her head into her hands out of embarrassment.

"Oh wow, they have it really bad....."

"I know, right? _Who would knew, little miss, that such relationship is possible!_"

"_A relationship in denial_....." That made the conman laughed as he patted my head. Walking away to talk with Taiga and Hiroshi, saying that the actors will have to attend the practice for evening till nighttime. "How about you, Higura? I'm sure a designer like you has to drop-by and-"

"Nah, I'm gonna go holed-up in my room doing all these crappy rushed projects that furfuck forced onto me....." Higura scratch at back of his neck. "Besides, I got the theater stage all memorized from a single visit and I know what kind of design I'm aiming for you shitty actors so hold ya' horses!! No need to give your measurements, I can already tell from looking at those pathetic stances!"

_Eidetic memory_, Higura almost described his first line to be that and if it's true then I'm almost impressed. It seems he has gotten everything already planned out ahead of us, _he's pretty well-prepared_. Mitsuru's chatting with him, looking really excited about it. As breakfast come and go with only Amane missing, things have gone pretty okay, without any trouble at all.

_'Ah, well.... there's nothing else I could do for now.... perhaps I could check on everyone else during my spare time later on....'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

I decided to visit the mortuary again and was glad to see Renma present at this time of the day, since I was really curious about his Ultimate talent, _'I wonder if he's okay with me asking that.... he did said so himself that he hated his own talent....'_

_"Ren-chin....?"_

"Ah, Sumi... didn't expect you to be here!!" Renma smiled as he pulled the sheet over the corpse he's working on. "Erm.... I have to apologize for my get-up, I didn't expect any visitors to be here while I'm working!!"

"I'm sorry for interrupting....." I apologetically bowed, to Renma and _possible spirits residing in the same room as we are in_. "I was.... curious about your Ultimate talent...... both of them in fact....."

"Ah, I see... you wanted to know how I got recognized, yes?" the mortician chuckles. "Very well, I still have a lot of things to do but I can talk while working so please take a seat....."

Renma gesture the chair next the table filled with miscellaneous things scattered around, once I sat there, it's clear to me that those things are actually surgical tools and embalming chemicals.

"My family has quite a tradition, you see. From elders to children, we're all accustomed to death rituals and preparation......" Renma started as he continue on working. "Each parents must have a child at least knowledgeable in such practices, from autopsy to embalming, from cleaning to covering one's corpse, and we also hold a special ceremony for passed souls to make it out to the afterlife....."

_This just took a turn really quickly and I'm immediately frightened by this_, "I-I see.... So from before you've said you lived in a small village... right? It must have been hard for your family to hold a funeral for your close neighbors-"

"Those rituals that my family hold weren't for others....." Renma corrected. "_Those rituals are for ourselves_....."

_"W-What!?"_ I tried to stop myself from falling out of my seat from shock. Thankfully, he didn't noticed my stunned state as he goes on, with his work and talking.

"Indeed, my ancestors has cursed their own bloodline to never be gifted with longevity. And so we must prepared such rituals, so that our close relatives' soul could passed on with peace. _Even I have to preform such rituals for my cousins and siblings_. Due to our family's sickly nature, it's a norm for some of us, children, not be able to live long past the age of 10......"

"_Renma_....." He said that so solemnly yet he's doing his work right now so delicately. He hated his own Ultimate title that was given to him because.... _of such morbid traditions his family had that made him earned it_. _'But... considering their health issues and this tradition they've passed down for centuries..... then wouldn't that be....?'_

"But of course.... I can't simply turn a blind eye to it....." Renma looked like he was finished with his work, placing back the sheet and removing his gloves. "After all..... if we stopped doing it, our family name would be completely wiped off from the records.... there will be none of us left. But in the end,_ I have taken that risk_...."

"And you've chosen to become a medium.... _the __Ultimate Medium_...." He didn't say anything about that but I can guess why. _Still_, _I won't say it. I wanna hear that reason from himself_, "I didn't know you had such a..... _difficult childhood_...."

"_It is what it is_...... it's what attracted everyone's else curiosity to begin with, and what I was recognized for by the _Ultimate Academy_....." Renma stated. "It's probably why Monomyou have chosen that to be my secret motive to begin with, yes? If people knew I've been embalming my dead family members since I was young, they would hold a lot of suspicions towards me....."

"_They won't think it like that_...." I answered defensively. "S-Sure, to them, they think it's.... _odd_....... but..." I seriously don't know how to say this, _this is.... way out of my field_. "......._ Traditions are just like that_... right? People might not understand them.... but you, your family do and possibly take pride in that..... _but_........ you shouldn't let that defined you..... Beside, _the Oki Renma I knew_ personally from the start is such a _kind and gentle soul_..... even after hearing that, that thought of mine will not change....."

Renma was taken aback by my words, after a few moments, he let out a small laugh, "That's..... quite interesting to hear that personally from you, Sumi..... I was afraid for a minute there you would find my own talent or even myself terrifying...."

"It will take a lot to even scare me....." I said that but_ then again, I was already terrified of Hisao when he literally just stood next to me from the start. _"Besides..... I find it oddly..... _fascinating_..... but I don't want to push it if you're still uncomfortable sharing it......"

"_I doubt it will die off within this generation_....." Renma sighed. "So.... you might still have your chances to know all about it one day...... but.... I still want to have that honor to share it with you, _a dear friend of mine_....."

"_I look forward to it already_....."

_'I never knew Renma would have to handle such troublesome task, started out from a young age. He doesn't speak ill of his family but just how much of that statement can be even considered the truth? Just..... I wanna look out for him more now, even more than before..... I just don't want that thought of not being seen as a normal person due to his background even plagued his mind for that long....'_

* * *

Planning to head towards the library to waste some time there, I bumped into an unexpected person right after this morning's debacle, "_Amane_...."

"Hmph...._ Miss. Investigator_......" He reverted back to calling me that once I disagreed with his idea. "This is quite a meeting I didn't expect..... I thought I wouldn't be bother by others at this time of the day...."

"_I'm just heading my way out, Amane_....." I answered, without showing any fear. "There's no reason for stopping me here or even consider that I'm stopping you here for a talk...."

"That would be unwise of you since_ I have nothing else to confess_....." Amane cleaned off the dirt under his nails as he continue talking without sparing a glance. "But I must say, Miss. Investigator. I'm surprised you didn't have any doubts about this motive. I used to admire that side of yours, _being skeptical of everything_. But it seems after two cases, _you've become really worn out afterwards to even consider this one of Monomyou's trap_....."

"At this point, _what other choices do we have?_" He said he has nothing to confess and yet he's still here, speaking his mind out. _That's the biggest contradiction outside of a class trial._ "We have all these clues but nothing jogged our memories.... even if it's just tiny bit, we can still get the answers in the end that will bring us closer _to find the culprit behind this killing game_....."

"_What will happened if we found out there's no culprit?_ What if it's just some petty unknown organisation orchestrated this whole killing game aspect like what that conman proposed when we found those newspaper clippings? I doubted every single detail of this plan would purely be done by _one person_....." Amane pointed out. "If it's just an organisation trying sought out the weeds to find the goods.... _then that would be more believable_....."

"I..... _don't get what you're trying to say here_...." Sure, I did take Hisao's organisation theory into consideration but what about it that Amane was so sure is the actual answer?

"Never mind what I have to say...... you enjoy your time with the others.... I would only sour the mood if I show my face ever again....." Amane simply walked past me. "Just so you know, I have finished composing and given the pieces to Monomyou so don't bother me anything related to it. I figured with this much free time... I just made it right away without having to discuss with others about it......_ But I won't be attending this whole theatrical nonsense that cat has for us, **I won't be fooled by it**_....."

The composer just marched his way to the elevator, the door closes behind him. I exhaled a deep sigh that I've been keeping in,_ 'What's.... with him....? Was it something he received? Something that riled him up to be like this.....? If that's the case, then we can't just pursued him to show us like that..... he's really... stubborn to say the least.....'_

"But why only Amane.....?" I pondered, _was there any significance about him...? For this particular motive.....? 'It's best for me to talk discuss this with Hisao and others..... they might have an idea or so...... for now... I wanna clear my head a bit after that.... weirdly vague conversation......'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

_"N-Nao.....?"_

"Huh...?" Oh, Sumi!!!" Numerous stacks of books were placed way near each other and I could barely see Nao, who's sitting down on the floor, being surrounded by these things. "I was doing some research!!"

"A research, huh......" I carefully placed the obstacles, neatly on the table, to leave more space for me to sit down. I was thinking that I would spend more time with the ghostwriter, and of course the library was my first thought to go to. "About what....?"

"Ah, _whatever pops in my mind_....." Nao closes the physics book she was holding. "I used to write for all fiction and nonfiction books of all genres, you see. So my mind tends to wander around between different topics..... I could be finding materials for flower and soils initially and I would end up researching about an entire micro-nation's culture!!"

"Is that so...." I chuckled. "I've just noticed this but.... it seems you have gotten over your stuttering, huh?"

"Even you?" Nao awkwardly laughed at herself. "Macchan also said the same thing..... I've been trying to mingle in with everyone else more often.... even when I'm always away from the public eye back then.... but!! At least it's not for nothing, right!?"

"Yeah... you've been improving your communication skills and it really shows....." Nao handed me another book; one of the mystery-fiction book that she co-write with a familiar author. "Ah!! This is the book where I first knew about you!!"

"_I had a feeling it was_....." said Nao, playing around with her glasses frame. "It was the starting point of my literary career as someone else's ghostwriter...."

"I've always admired this person from way back then.... I absolutely love the twists and turns in his writing to the point I even bulk-buy the entire volumes so that I wouldn't have to wait to buy another one!!" I exclaimed gleefully, admiring the beautiful hardcover of the book. The gold details that gleamed once it's under the light. "What was he like? I'm sure you've met him once or twice before?"

The ghostwriter just stared at me, dumbfound, before a look of realization hits her, "O-Oh right, they didn't make that publicly known yet, huh? _He's dead now_...."

I chocked on my own saliva, _"W-What!?"_

"Y-Yeah, he's no longer around....." said Nao as she twirled her hair and avoiding eye contact. "S-So... he died when making the second book due to heart failure.... but he already assigned me to write the next few volumes for him so I took his place and finished it before the deadline....."

"There's.... six volumes in total in this series....." I remembered the neatly packaged box-set that I bought a long time ago. "_So the rest of the volumes were actually written by you alone?_"

"Us, ghostwriters, can easily mimic other people's writing style...." Nao explained as she begins to move around and placed the books in their initial place. "So, I kind of understand why you thought he would still be alive.... but to be honest, _it was to save face_, actually. Because the author's high-earned fame, the company wasn't entirely prepared to let his series go so I have to step in and complete it for them....."

"Y-Yeah, I can see that....." It's no wonder the book company heavily promoted his, I mean, _Nao's_ books a lot. They wanted to announced the actual author's death once the supplies and demands have been met and long gone, huh. "I-I'm still impressed!! All the plot points in the book eerily fits the whole theme and all the mysteries from the first book was solved in a really satisfying way! Did the author leave you some points he wanted to put in his series....?"

"Nope, the author is actually not that type of person!!" The ghostwriter giggled, remembering back her days while writing the said series. "He..... _just goes along with his thoughts as he writes_. Even though he has a topic he wants to put in his book, he just waited for a perfect opportunity to sneak that in! He doesn't have a plan or anything prepared, he just follows along what would make his series more interesting!!"

"That's.... _really brave of him_....." I could hardly find any author who would do something like that yet turned out to be successful._ Hell, I could hardly find any author whose lines of thoughts could be even close to understandable. _"He must have been a very interesting person to talk to....."

"Even though I never met him in person..... but everyone keep saying that he's such a sweetheart......" Nao sighed, seemingly fond of talking about the author. "To be honest, his writing style and stories actually inspired me to write a series on my own but..... since I'm a ghostwriter...... I don't any distinctive style or even any creativity to make it up for it....."

"I will be the judge of that....." I smirked. "It's too early to put yourself down like that. You've already heard me; I absolutely love the series you co-write or, to extend,_ stories you actually wrote by yourself with your own ideas in it_. So, you still have plenty of chances there and I will be happy to help as you beta reader or anything!!"

"Really?!" Nao's eyes gleamed with excitement. "T-That's great!! I can't wait to show you the prototype!! I have my mind set on a sci-fi genre with some _Kitsch_ elements in it!! Oh but I have to discuss it more with Mitsuru about that last thing!! I want it to be more realistic, you know!!"

_'Nao's quite passionate even though her skill wasn't that well-recognized and people barely knew anything about her. Beyond the shy exterior is someone who's been wanting to make a name for herself.... and not someone who can just be shoved aside when not needed anymore. Alright, I'm going to help her out!! I wanna be her support whenever she's in trouble!"_

* * *

Nao and I decided to head to the theater house together from the library. The ghostwriter mentioned how strange that Machi didn't clocked in the library earlier and to be honest, I didn't notice that the librarian wasn't around just now. I brought up a point that he probably still feel a bit restless from yesterday so it's best to give him some time to himself, in which Nao agreed.

Once we stepped into the theater house, we can already see Hisao and Taiga on stage, practicing already. Higura is also present, observing from the audience seat. "Ah, Sumi.... perfect timing....." Higura looked back to see both of us arriving . "I wanted you to stand on that platform there...."

The platform he's referring to is just a mimicry of marble stairs. "Umm... why exactly...?"

"Well, you're, _ironically_, acting as the devil, _Mephsito_, right?" Higura explained. "You're supposed to be towering over everyone with your appearance but with stunted-height, I doubt you can even reach over anyone's shoulder...."

_"You're literally the same height as me..."  
_

_"This is about you, don't fucking rope me into this..."_

I sighed dejectedly, but went over to do what he says. Stopping by the third steps, I looked towards the front stage and called out, "_Like this!?_"

"Hmmm, alright, try and out act with that conman prick!! I wanna see how much damage will you two make during the play!!" Higura yelled.

_Impact, he could have just said impact_. "It's when the main lead is being confronted by the devil... right?"

"Hmmm.... my personal attendant isn't around soooo, _maybe!!_" Hiroshi was supposed to play as his attendant but he hasn't arrived yet. So we jumped into the part where both of our characters met for the first time. Hisao started his part,_ the character who laments his existence and desires for more knowledge_. Everyone just stared agape as he acted out, his expressive actions and loud voice echoed within the walls. His face even contorted in pain to match the emotions emitting from his lines.

_'Amazing.....' _It's all I could mutter. This is...... _the most emotional thing he ever expressed, ever since we got here_... _and it's still **fake**_. He looked like he's really into his role, as if he's supposed to have this._ Almost like Monomyou planned it_\- _'Didn't he say our roles may have something to do with the motives as well....?'_

Once Hisao's done with his lines, I prepared myself, trying to stand up straight and with what I can do, I acted out my lines with finesse. The devil is cocky but regal, almost close to dainty. For the last line, I offered my left hand as I followed, _" -submit yourself to **despair**-"_ _What!?_

Hisao was taken aback, his eyes widened and- _is that..... **fear**?_

"S-Sorry, I misread my lines!!" I tried to correct myself as I looked back on my script. _'... Ah, no, I was right.... It did said '**despair**' here but.... why does it feel wrong...? Why does it feel like it shouldn't be here in the first place....?'_

"Ah, geez, little miss!!" Hisao sighed, folding his arms against his chest as he looked at me disapprovingly. "And I was sooooo into it!!! I was really in the mood to be tricked into making a deal but you just have to mistake, huh? Repent!! _Repent for your mistakes, devil!!"_

"H-Hey, I said I'm sorry....." _And he's back, in his usual annoying self._

"Alright, stop yapping you two!!' Higura yelled out. "I have no idea what the fuck just happened but I could have immediately disintegrate from that intense practice!! Y'all better tone down, we ain't doing this for someone special to begin with!!"

"I-It's amazing!!" Nao clapped. "I-I got so invested that I could hardly breathe!!"

"_Holy fuck, you're actually breathing really hard_....." the designer stared at the ghostwriter astonishingly. "Anyways, I got the picture already!! Ya' better be fucking amazed by my craftsmanship once it's done by tomorrow afternoon!!!" and just like that, he left without turning back.

_'Ah, perfect timing.... since it's just Hisao, Taiga and Nao now....'_ "Hisao, I bumped into Amane on my way here.... he seemed... _off_...."

_"That guy always goes off on something so you need to be very specific about it, little miss..."_

"_I'm not gonna ask you about that or even wonder what the hell are you saying_....." I sighed. "Something about what he said earlier this morning.... _and just now even_...... he's taking your theory of some secret organisation orchestrated this whole thing with a lot more consideration......"

"That's..... _a one-off thing_....." said Taiga. "I mean.... yeah, it's possible.... but what made him think it gonna be like that....?"

"Hisao.... when you said there's a mastermind....." Taiga and Nao looked at me, confused, _So he didn't tell them about that_. "What do you mean by that? Is it only one person? Or a group?"

"_Ahhhh_.... I forgot I told you that!! I seriously forgot!! I thought I was the only one with that info!!" Without hesitation, I lightly punched his arm. He wasn't fazed by it, "Without a doubt, there's one..... _and I mean it_..... I think! I'm not so sure anymore!!"

"_Then why the secret organization theory_....?" I ignored that last line. "Why was he so adamant about it?"

"Look, little miss..... we can leave that person to his own device. _Let him believe what he wanted to believe in_...." Hisao waved his hand around dismissively. "In the end, he's someone who considers his opinions to be the best, that's just who he is after all!!"

"D-Don't you think......." all of us looked at Nao. "..... _he might be the next culprit....?_"

"W-Wait, Nao.... don't think it like that!!" Taiga reassured her. "Sure, he doesn't want to do this whole time limit motive but there's no way someone like him would even dare to do anything like tha-"

_"He might......"_

Taiga just stared at me, "H-Huh...? But why....?"

"I'm not saying he's going to be our next culprit but......" It's not just that but reluctantly sharing his own information with us, the survival group. "... There's definitely something he has that would prompted a killing to happen. He already acted way too selfishly earlier... _similar to how Higura did when the secret motives happened_..... there's no doubt our potential culprit would make a move on him....."

"So!!!" Hisao snapped his fingers. "We might ask someone to look after him then!!! Preferably the people who has nothing to do with acting or preparation!!! Someone like... _like those no-good slackers!!_"

"Oh... Machi, Renma and Shoma.... those three right....??" Taiga mentioned their names. "Hmm..... they have more free will when it comes to looking around while the show is goes on in the background....."

"But Amane said he wouldn't-"

"**_I will make him attend_**...." the conman eerily smiled, with a tone full of malice that just sends shiver down our spine. "_**I will make him**_.... **_I won't let that idiot doomed himself_**..... Alright!! I might have to stay here for a little longer!! Hibiki will be late to practice so the rest of you lots, excluding Nao!! _Shoo!! Go away!! _I wanna be indulge in my own role a little bit more!!"

"You don't have to excused us so rudely but....." I hesitated to even say it. "...... _Just be careful after you guys are done, okay? Especially when it's nighttime_......."

"Huh!? You're concerned about_ me!?_" Hisao gasped. "_Unbelievable!! _Who are you and what have you done with little miss!? Could you possibly be the devil we accidentally summoned?!"

"**_Die then_**."

_"There you are!! That's the little miss I know!!"_

* * *

Taiga and I walked back to the hotel together, when the marksman suddenly spoke up, "Do you really think..... there's going to be another killing.....? It's just...... _you didn't looked too bother about it._..."

_Right,_ I was being straightforward about it, not everyone is too happy to hear that it just might happened again. "Well, for once, I hope I will be proven wrong but..... you've seen how the others acted right now.... everyone's still confused and desperate for answers...... _**a slight push can make a whole lot of difference**_....."

"What about you....? You're always keeping your cool but....." Taiga trailed off a bit. "_Even people like you have limits_....."

"I... _tried not to let my emotions get in my way of doing things_....." I answered, with a little bit of honesty. "It's nothing to be concern about, I can promise you that, _I will be fine_......."

"It's just that.... _okay_, this is gonna sound really idiotic and invasive as hell but I overheard your talk with Shoma yesterday...." Taiga admitted. Both of us stopped walking, "He sounded really genuine in his own words but you.... you.... _**it feels like you're lying to him somehow**_....."

"_Lying_....?" _Why would he say something like that? Not when I actually seriously meant it_..... **_<strike> right?</strike>_**

"_I mean!!_ That part about you not minding being relied on!! Not the part where you will look for someone to lend a hand or anything!!" Taiga corrected himself, immediately flustered. "That's what I meant!!"

"O-Oh, that....." That's a relief.... _I almost got mad at him for thinking otherwise_. "Y-Yeah.... that's sort of a_ half-truth_ and _half-lie_, huh? I'm happy that I'm being useful for everyone...... _if only_ _the end results weren't so_....."

"_I get it_.... Fuck, I shouldn't have brought it up, huh?" Taiga awkwardly laughed. "I was just worried that you weren't really honest with yourself this entire time and especially towards others..... _it's okay to unwind once in a while_... I'm sure Renma and Shoma told you that, right?"

"_Yeah_...." When it was just the three of us by the pool, just relaxing without a worry, before the first killing even started, _before hell breaks loose._ "..... _I will try to be more honest with you guys then_. I sort of got tired trying to work around my words and also trying not to sound bad, hahaha..."

_"That's more like it!!"_

Both of us talk a bit more about the play for tomorrow night, as we immediately went to our separate rooms. I collapsed onto the bed, the cat plush from the previous motive sits still next to my pillow, _'Honest to myself..... huh...... trust and honesty, these two words I keep throwing around...... Is it really alright....?'_

Once again, I fell into a deep slumber once the nighttime announcement rang out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Name ] Satoshi Kiharu  
[ Title ] Ultimate Archaeologist  
[ Height ] 167 cm  
[ Weight ] 56 kg  
[ Chest ] 51 cm  
[ Blood Type ] A  
[ D.O.B ] 17th November  
[ Likes ] Travelling and Wrestling Matches.  
[ Dislikes ] Doing Nothing and Insects.
> 
> \---------------
> 
> Nao's description of said author's way of writing is literally me, that's just me, I've written previous chapters with no planning and I ran a goddamn marathon with certain ideas in which you guys can already tell at this point. 
> 
> Just to put it out there, I'm not gonna reenact the entire Faust story word-by-word in the next chapter because I'm too lazy to find the actual script and I DON'T WANT TO WRITE A REALLY LONG CHAPTER JUST BECAUSE HALF OF IT IS THEATER PLAY.


	17. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Daily Life IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The actors has taken their place but someone must take the fall, for a reward so sweet you might as well faint from joy."

_......_

_"Endou... where's Ayame and...... God, who's that other kid again?? The little one?"_

_"Sumire..... it's not that hard to remember them... I already gave them such simple names, you know?"_

_"Geez, sorry, sorry!! I just don't do well with twins, you know? They're creepy as hell!! Always do or said the same thing in unison.... Heck, they might not be even related to begin with and we don't know that!!"_

_"Keep your damn voice down, they can hear you from the next room!"_

_"Ackh, it doesn't matter..... the younger one always ran off to do her own thing anyways..... it's funny to see her making up for her lack of skills that Ayame has...."_

_"......... Sumire wants to be distinguished from her sister, related or not.... I doubt she's even trying to follow in her footsteps....."_

_"Well, it doesn't matter what talent you have...... **you can't really improve them even further**, like a small restrictive box, whatever shape or size, no matter how much sweat and tears you put into it, it will never expand-"_

_......._

* * *

....

.........

_'God, this is so annoying....'_

_Exhausted, _that's one thing I can only described my feelings right now. For once, sleep has finally come naturally to me for the past few days yet I still feel restless. _Restless_. "_That damn memory again_.... why do I have to remember it now? I thought I'm already over that....... I should just... _get going_..... moping around doesn't go well for yourself..."

As always, I started my morning routine, feeling a lot more better after prepping myself for the day. _'Alright then.... just a few more minutes before the morning announcement.... I'm sure everyone's at the dining hall already.... except for Amane......'_

"_Can't hope for the best if he's around_......." I sighed to myself, exiting my room and almost bumping into someone as I did. "_Ah-!_ S-Sorry, didn't see you there!!"

"T-That's okay!!" Mitsuru regained her composure as quickly as she could, waving her hands around in panic. "But thank goodness you're already up!! Mochi is getting really impatient, ya' know! Your costume is already finished!!"

"Wha- _That fast!?_" I exclaimed in shock, I know Higura is an _Ultimate_ but still- it's not like he's a professional seamstress or anything! He just had an idea from yesterday's practice!!

"_Weeell_, it turns out Higura is only needed for designing stuffs and Monomyou with their so called...._ 'Mini-myous'_ are the one making them!!" Mitsuru explained. _Ah, okay, now that makes sense_. "Come on, I reaaaally want to see you in your costume!! It looks really cool and elegant on its own!! Ahhh, I can only imagine that you would look way more sexier than right now!!"

"_Mi-Mitsun, you're drooling_...."

* * *

The reception gotten a lot crowded now that Monomyou have introduced a few smaller, _more adorable_ versions of themselves, the_ 'Mini-myous'_. Each of them were holding different costume, one of them who has mine immediately approached me with its tiny feet,_ 'A-Ah.... this is bad.... I wanna hug them-!!'_

"Let's go!" Mitsuru pushed from behind, directing me away from the crowd. "Let's put on that costume immediately and surprised others!! Head towards the restroom near the dining hall!!"

"I-I can walk too, Mitsun...." The smaller _Mini-myou_ struggled to keep up with us so I took the chance and picked them up into my arms, ruffled through their soft fur. _'S-Soft.... they're actually so soft...!!'_

Once we got into the restroom, another familiar face appear who just finished changing. "Ah, Hibiki!!" Mitsuru skipped over to the opera singer, squealed at her beautiful dress. "Gosh, you looked so divine!! That sandy-color just glitters under the light, the way your shawl delicately placed onto your shoulders is just spectacular!!!"

_No joke_, as expected of person with the lead female role. _Gretchen_, if I remembered it correctly. The _Mini-myou_ in my arms started twitching and flail the costume right in front of me, I set them down and gave them a little pat on the head before going into one of the stalls._ 'Higura.... has such a strong taste, this actually looks really cool.....'_

Typical black and red suit with its vest jacket having subtle floral pattern stitched onto it with fewer reddish accent at the end, ruffled red shirt with a black ribbon-tie and a long purplish-black fur coat to mimic the devil's possible animal-like appearance, "_I'm... this is really beautiful_...."

"Right!?" Mitsuru commented from outside of the stall.

I chuckled, as I started to put on one piece of the clothing at the time,_ 'Red shirt, ribbon-tie, the black vest.... I didn't know Higura has an eye for details as well.... I never took him being the fashionable type either..... maybe I should ask him for an advice one day....?'_

Stepping outside to see the _Mini-myou_ patiently waiting in front of my stall, I flinched when I heard a shriek coming from Mitsuru, "Oh my-!! Sumi, you look absolutely cool!!! Ah! _It feels like I'm falling in love with you all over again!_"

Nervously, I collected the _Mini-myou_ into my arms again and walked over to Hibiki's side, "Guess the contrast between the two of us really shows, huh?"

"Higura have done such a great job showing your _devilish nature_...." Hibiki smiled. "With only your costume on, I wonder how much exquisite you will look with a full wardrobe. It's really clear to see why the host picked you for such a role...."

"Come on now!!!" Mitsuru pulled the both of us outside, urging us to meet up with others once again in the reception area. Struggling with holding the small cat robot in my arms, I sighed in relief once the cosmetologist lets go. "Everyone!! The wonderful main attraction is here!! The most beautiful women in the play,_ Hibiki and Sumi!!!_"

The cosmetologist presented us with a pose, Hibiki just laughed at her eccentric entrance. Observing our surrounding, almost everyone is in their costumes, except for Nao and Hisao. Almost everyone is here.... _almost. 'I knew it.... Amane is not here.....'_

"Little miss!! You look fascinating that my heart almost stopped at the sight of you!!" Hisao clapped. "I could have died by just seeing your devilish appearance, indeed, you play way too well into your role!!"

"Knock it off!!" Mitsuru pouted, clinging to my arm. "Sumi needs a more non-creepy and annoying partner in her life!! Someone like you would never have that chance!!! Even she, herself, wouldn't give you that either!!"

_"That's totally uncalled for!!"_

During the argument between Hisao and Mitsuru, Higura got close and inspected coat I just wore over my left shoulder, "I seriously misjudged how well you will look with this..... I thought asking for a black wig would make you look more believable and grounded in reality but you don't look too bad with that irritating magenta color...."

"_Right_...." I slowly pulled myself away as the duo continued fighting. "You've done an amazing job, Higura. You weren't lying about it!!"

"Huh?? _Do you actually take me as a liar?!_" His usual irritated tone is back but instead of looking angry, he actually has a confident smile on his face. "Like I've said!! You guys are gonna fuckin' be amazed by my own works that you will regret looking down on my talent!! I may not be so extravagant like whatever shit you guys excelled in but _I do best in things I'm fuckin' good at!!_"

_That was.... strangely optimistic of him_. He still has his bite but it's not so depreciating anymore. _He really changed that much_. "And with that, _the amazing Mochi has truly bewildered us with his skills ~_"

"_You have absolutely no permission to use that lame-ass nickname!! And that doesn't mean you're allowed to call me that either!!!"_

"Hey!! Sumi!!" Taiga slapped my back to get my attention, in which he did. "You haven't eaten, right? Me too!! Let's head to the dining hall!!" He motioned the_ Mini-myou_ as he gently pushed them down. I got the message and put them down as I followed the marksman into the dining hall.

In there, _the real conversation starts_, "_How's everything?_"

"_Amane's stubborn_.... I've been prying his door open for about an hour earlier and just refused to come out of his cave....." Taiga looks frustrated. "Not only that...._ you do feel like something's off... right?_"

"_Yeah_...." While everyone's having the time of their life, they wouldn't even noticed _**it **_didn't really happened. "**_The morning announcement didn't happened_**.... something happened to Monomyou, probably.... but I bet the mastermind can still see through those Mini-myous....."

_"Wait, didn't you just take that thing to the restroom?"_

_"Yes, I did, I was stupid and I didn't think of that...."_

"Although, one thing for certain is that Hisao was able to...... _**provoke **_Amane...." Taiga gave me the rundown of what happened. "Last night... minutes before nighttime, Hisao along with Nao dropped by to have a small talk and he managed to take a glimpse of the papers the composer received...."

_Amazing, Hisao managed to get through him, Nao must have follow along just to act as a distraction_. "And...?"

".... A... _fake player_....." _There it is_, another confirmation about the fake player that Hisao has been going on after the first trial. "Someone within the group.... _that wasn't supposed to be here_......"

"Since Amane received that note......." I crossed out list of possible suspects in my head. "Is it someone with a dangerous talent maybe? _Like_...."

_"Please don't consider me...."_

"I won't.... **but**........" There's something that I couldn't dismissed it like that. "Don't forget, _**we don't have all our memories**_ so that fake player themselves might not be even aware that they are one. It's an open case and anyone could be one.... so.... _I can't let that possibility be brushed aside_...."

"That's true....." the marksman scratch his cheek, a nervous tic. "Do you think we will get our answers after the play...?"

"Not entirely.... but _part of it_....." I grabbed both of his shoulders, making him jumped. _'Taiga have been acting really nervous since last night and.... I'm not good with dealing with other people's emotions still but....' _"I know everything seems dodgy because we're playing into Monomyou's plan but...._ it will be alright_... Even though Amane is being secluded from all of this... he knows how dangerous it is to share it with others so he purposely have to hold himself back..... _let have faith in him, okay?_"

I didn't received any reaction from the other yet. For what felt like a minute of silence has passed, the marksman commented, "_Physical_...."

"Huh??" I blinked twice in confusion. "What did you say...?"

"N-No..... I realized that you're getting really physical right now.... like you don't mind being near someone or anyone touching you..... you always shied away when others talked to you directly when we first got here......" Taiga tapped onto my hand on his shoulder, in which I immediately let go. "_I thought that was a nice change_...."

_That's a whole different thing he decided to talk about but I'm glad it's enough to distract him from more pressing issues. _"Yeah... _I'm still learning_.... but I won't come off too strong right from the bat, _I have set my limits_......."

"Yup!! But thanks to your last speech!! I'm inspired to do my own thing now!!" He grinned at me and immediately I'm at peace. "Thanks for the motivational boost!! I've been waiting to be cheered on by a cute girl for a long time!!"

_Same_. "I will go and do my own thing then...." Both of us made our way out of the dining hall. "I will be hanging out with someone to pass the time before heading to the theater house.... what about you...?"

"With Hiroshi!! He's been teaching me his ways of rock-climbing and abseiling!!" He looked pumped up already. "It's been a while since I had such a exhilarating exercise but I promise I won't overdo before the play!! Don't want an actor to be way too tired before the real even started, you know!!"

"Good luck....." I watched as he jogged his way to Hiroshi and other. _'Well... I don't feel like taking off this costume yet.... it feels really nice, looking grand for once.... I wonder who should I hang out with today....?'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

In the end, I chose to go to the theater house to spend the time and surprised to find Hibiki there._ 'Ah well, I really don't want to hang out at other places, only to go here again.... it will be a waste so I'm glad Hibiki is here....'_

"Hibiki... practicing your singing?" She was in a daze before I called out to her, smiling radiantly.

"Ah... I did finished doing that...." she said, sitting at the audience seat. She waited for me to be seated before asking, "How about you? Have you come here to practice your singing as well?"

"I-I don't think I can even mimic my own voice from a few years ago....." I replied, remembering my choir days. "Besides, I've only done it to pass the time..... I wasn't really serious about it at all......."

"But I'm curious....." Hibiki confessed. "I'm curious why you specifically chose choir to be _your own expression of music_....."

"_Expression.....?_"

"Let me provide you an example....." Hibiki started to sing a note, a high-pitched one. instinctively, I closed my eyes, hearing the string of notes carefully and how the volume changes over time. She then stopped, "How do you feel now...?"

"_At peace_......" I somehow said it without thinking. "I'm not really got at describing things but...._ my heart is at peace_, was the first thing that popped into my mind...."

"I see.... though it's just like that, it's still something....." Hibiki giggles. "When I was young and witnessed it for the first time..... all my worries at that time immediately washed away.... the sheer negativity at that time was a heavy burden that hearing such comforting melody made me feel lighter than ever before...."

_Ah, I guess we're both the same._

"Of course, my strongest suite is in fact _arioso, _just as you've heard it....." Hibiki begins. "Despite mastering other types and ranges, I found my comfort in _arioso_, knowing my own audience who are easily star-struck.... there are times where I have to stop singing just to help multiple people who faint during my performance...."

"_Fainted due to_.....?"

"I don't know all the details......." Hibiki tries to remember back. "But what I've heard from my agent at that time was because they... _fell asleep_...."

_I sure hope they did_. "Well!! It did work on me!! I fell asleep when I first heard your voice after all!!"

"It quite saddening how that happened every time....." Hibiki sighed dejectedly. "Every performance I made outside of Japan, I would have people rushing out of the room due to my, _'incredible singing voice that caused them to weep into slumber'_, they said....."

"Now that you put it like that....._ it does sounds like they're exaggerating it a bit_........" I wonder how often people would do that....? "But it's probably why you're considered an _Ultiamte_, huh? For being able to sway people so easily like that..... others won't really appreciate opera singing that much regardless of age...."

"It feels as if most my audience are sort of an insomniac...." Hibiki joked around. "They would often drop by my show just to finally be lulled into well-deserved sleep..... I even have someone who confessed they listened to my singing because of that....."

"That's......_ quite rude of them_....." I frowned. "They shouldn't treat your own singing performance as their personal lullaby and just leave whenever they feel like it...... you should really reconsider about that....."

"I don't really mind, I mean, _I am indirectly helping someone_....." said Hibiki in her reassuring tone. "After all, I can't imagine how helpful can an opera singer be in the real world,_ much less here out of all places_. So, helping someone with their internal problems indirectly is some sort of a relief for me....."

_Ummm, I can't really argue with that now. Since I'm one of those people, the more I think about it_. _I did admit it to her earlier as well._ "S-Still.... It's kind of upsetting if people like me didn't get to witness your full singing performance!! I really wanna hear it....."

Hibiki pondered for a long time before suggesting, "How about we tried and practice singing for a bit? If you easily recognized the melody then there would be lesser chance that you will fall asleep, right? And to accompany my voice, if you focus on your singing instead, there's no way you would hear only my voice too well and you would be too distracted to even fall asleep!!"

"I'm not sure if it works like that but.... Alright, then! It's worth a shot!!! I may be rusty in my own choir voice so please excuse that!!" I want to witness Hibiki's talent for what it's worth. I think it will also be fun to have a singing coach for once._ A serene opera singer and a rustic choir_, what an odd combination.

* * *

_"Sumi!!"_

A certain someone tackled from behind, clinging onto my back like a koala, "Mitsun, you're here early...."

"She's been nagging me about coming here early so that she can prepped you guys earlier...." Higura grunts behind her. "So I have no choice but to get dragged along like fucking rag-doll...."

"Yup, yup!!" Mitsuru nodded, grabbing both Hibiki's hand and mine. "Come on, girls!! Let's head towards the dressing room at the back!! I have to check the out once I knew there was one!!"

"Don't hauled up in that dressing room for too long, ya' dimwits!!" Higura called out. "We have other people who wanted to used them ya' know!? And we gotta practice our fucking ass off once more before the actual play started!!"

"Got it!!!" I replied, while being dragged by Mitsuru. 

"_Y-You're really a handful girl_...." Hibiki stammered as she tried to keep up Mitsuru quickened pace.

* * *

Once we got into the dressing room, Mitsuru twirled around with her eyes shone bright with excitement, "I can't wait!!! I can't wait to see everyone shine with such great beauty!! _I also can't wait to see Sumi acted all-so high and mighty_....."

"_Mitsun, you're drooling again_...." I take the nearby tissues as I gave them to the cosmetologist. "You really like pretty things that much, huh? That's kind of dangerous for you to fall in love so easily....."

"Y-Yes, it sure is!!" Mitsuru giggled, wiping the remaining drool off her face. "When I see beautiful people, I can't help this really heart-wrenching feeling inside of me!!! Of course, since most of my clients are women, it only applies to them!!"

"How about men? _I'm sure you fancied Higura with how close you are to him_...." That sentence from Hibiki made her squeak. Like she wasn't expected to hear that.

"O-Oh that's..... _a different case!!!_" Mitsuru answered confidently. She urged me to sit down as she decided to comb my hair from nearby makeup kit. "Hmmm.... how can I say this....... It's not something I could leave Higura to his own devices, you know? I tried not to bring Saku's case into the conversation as much as I could but..... _it's never a good idea to leave people to grieve_......"

_'Leaving people alone so that they could grieve.... Is she saying that Higura still feels guilty about the last trial?'_

"Higura is headstrong but I know a lot of people who have that traits are just.... _not so headstrong in the inside_......" Mitsuru hummed, smiling peacefully to herself. "I've met a lot of clients who lacked self-worth but only wanting to hear the nicer parts about themselves......_ never the negatives_. I never took them in as my clients, you know? It's a bad move for business, I know but...._ I really can't help with people who don't value themselves and think they can replace any part of them superficially_...."

Hibiki and I were quiet as Mitsuru continued with her story. It's a rare sight for sure, a super rare sight of a serious cosmetologist who's always cheerful and bubbly, "Helping Higura was really tough and I'm glad he's improving....... but, well, here's the contradiction of me_ 'falling in love'_ so easily, even though I always throw around _those words_ very freely; _I can't fall in love with someone who doesn't love themselves_. I can't really give Higura what he wanted because I don't know the real _'him' _and I want him to realize that by himself! I'm no therapist, yeah, but..... _if people like Higura keeps on clinging to other people as their source of happiness then..... they would become more unhappy with themselves instead_......"

With the final stroke of the hairbrush, she ended her story, "_It's something you should only find by yourself and only for yourself_..... And that's my cosmetologist's motto!!"

She let out a hearty laugh, not realizing the rather heavy atmosphere emitted from her story. Once she did, she stopped and begin to act really nervous, "W-What? Did I say something wrong?! I-I know that sounded really arrogant but please forgive me!!!"

"No.... _it's quite nice_...." I muttered. "It's nice to hear your thoughts..... and it helps us to get to know you better after all. Who would have known our cute, bubbly cosmetologist turns out to be the most matured person out of all of us. _You're quite a thoughtful person_, Mitsun...."

"It made us feel like you're the older sister...." Hibiki chuckles._ "_Perhaps.... you're our moral compass, after all_...."_

"That sounds like I'm stealing someone else's talent instead, _I wonder why_...." Mitsuru faked a deep thinking pose. "Ah well!! It's what I can do!! I'm prepared to cheer everyone up in time of need!!! But please don't call me _'big sis' _or anything!! It will surely make me melt into a puddle!!"

"_Big sis_...."

"_Kyaah-!!! With a tone like that, I can't resist-!!_"

After recovering from the nickname, Mitsuru went on to prepare our hair and makeup, she ended up using the black wig that Monomyou provided, "Ah... I always have this thought before but now that I see this.... Sumi's original hair colour is black, huh...."

"Well... my sister is your client so I assumed you would know that for a fact already......"

"Right, right!!" Mitsuru nodded in agreement. "I always wonder, you know?! If Sumi's hair stayed black, no doubt, she will give out that mysterious, sexy vibes!"

"I.... Hmm, if you put it that way......" Hibiki stared at me intensely. "I do see your point....."

_I.... I feel like I'm in danger-!!_

* * *

_Evening has come._

Hisao, Taiga, Nao and Hiroshi has arrived with their costume and I'm almost impressed by the conman's getup. I was so used to his long coat, shady alley look that the outfit Higura designed for him made him look completely different. "Huh... guess... you can look like a gentleman for once....."

"Little miss, please stop bullying me already!!" Hisao whined. "It's bad enough that I'm being pushed around by that_ Lady Boss!!_"

"_Lady Boss_....?" _He must have meant Mitsuru. _I never seen anyone else have that kind of energy to argue with him. 

"Hooooold on!!" Machi looked disgruntled as he approached the main lead. "I still haven't done your final touch-up, now hold still!! This will surely poke your eye in if you opened slightly!!"

_"Is it even wise to give a person who's naturally double eye-lidded some eye shadow? It's hardly noticeable!!"_

Seeing these two people arguing about it, I was almost shocked myself, "Machi, you knew how to put on makeup as well?"

"A-Ah.... _didn't see you there_...." Machi looked at me with wide eyes. "Y-Yes... since I mostly lived my entire life with my mother and two sisters, I'm always their dummy practice to put on test makeup so I unintentionally picked it up from them......"

"_And he's not even being gentle about it_..." Hisao sneered.

"_**Do you want me to screw this into your eyeball?**_" Machi dangerously hold the eyeliner pencil near the conman's face.

"_Just live through it_...." I sighed, restraining Hisao by placing both hands on his shoulder to prevent him from moving around or flinching. "I'm surprised.... I was wondering why Mitsuru said that the boys have everything taken care of.... It turns out you're the one who's taking care of them, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah....." Machi is really focused in it. "It's quite a pain to make them stay still so I'm really glad you're helping, Sumi. You're the only one who's immune to these idiots' wild energy...."

_"I have a penchant for restraining people anyways...."_

"It's always needed...." Machi chuckles, finally finished with his work. "Oh yeah... Amane came by just now.... saying that he feels like he's in danger if he were to be left at the hotel alone..... _or someone else is threatening to do that_...."

"That's this guy's work...." I squeezed the conman's shoulders. "He forced him out of his room by purposely scaring him and saying that....."

"Well, safety is more important than trying to act better than all of us so I'm glad that idea got through to that idiot's thick head....." the librarian commented. "Alright then, I will leave you two be.... I have to check on Nao before heading to see Shoma and Renma...."

_"See ya' after the play...."_

With the librarian left and my hands still onto the conman's shoulders, I leaned down and asked, _"Do you think your own persuasion worked?"_

"Ehhhhh...... _maybe..._" for once, he sounded unsure. "It's either by my own doing or someone else is doing that to him..... Of course, he was still stubborn when I invited him out so can't say for sure!!"

"_Then we shall see_......" I let him go. "What did you and Amane even talked about last night?"

"Hmmm.... not much...." said Hisao. "He just said what we already know!! _A fake player working for the mastermind_. What about it, little miss? Do you think this time we can cornered that fake player for once?"

"_But you do know who they are, right?_" That made the conman laughed for some reason.

"Oh, you already forgot? _I just **know **what **I** know_....... Please remember that curse really carefully, little miss!! It will certainly be helpful for you later down the line! Well, I will be looking out for my own beloved now so bye-bye!!"

_With Hibiki_, according their roles, Hisao and Hibiki are the supposed main leads. _'I didn't get the chance to see him practicing his acting with Hibiki before...... guess this will be a very interesting duo-'_

Just as I finished my thought, Monomyou jumped in front of me as I screamed, "Well, well, well!! Look at my favorite character in the play!! Oh, you looked so divine!!! I'm shocked and proud of my own choice in casting call!! Dear investigator, you sure made your magnificent host weeping with joy!!"

"Y-You....." Usually I will be mad at their sudden entrance but now that Monomyou showed themselves, physically, I can actually ask them about this morning's mystery. "Hey you. What happened to this morning's announcement? You didn't show up at all. Going through some technical difficulties at your side there?"

"Eckh!!" _Bingo_. "N-No need to worry about your dear host!!! I just got into a bit of a rough situation after all!! My little_ Mini-myous_ have been going on wildly with those stuffs for the play!!! Of course, this host is glad that it turns out those stuffs and _Mini-myous_ have found their way to you all!!"

They didn't need to mentioned how they know that; it's because they're seeing through the_ Mini-myous_' eyes. It sounds like they can't control numerous copies of the AI cat. "I want to confirm this with you..... are you sure we will received part of our school memories? Will that actually tells us why we're here?"

"Of course!! I _nya_ver back down on my words- Ackh!! I stuttered!!!" Monomyou screeched. "But I'm not so sure about that last part though!! That last part..... **_is something you guys should know by yourselves_**, nyahahahahaha!!"

I didn't even bother to watch them disappeared, closing my eyes and rethinking back all the clue we gathered so far,_ 'So we came here... on our own? Is that what Monomyou's saying? Then why did we go so far as to forget our own school memories....? Did something happened during our graduation event that made us forget..... our purpose here?'_

".... For now... we will focus on finishing this first....._ then we will have our answers_....."

* * *

Mitsuru and Higura seated with Renma, Shoma, Machi and Amane, who's not paying attention to what the people next to him is saying. Monomyou sits on Mitsuru's lap who doesn't look like they minded a bit but receiving really odd glances from others next to her.

'_At least Amane is here_....._ that's good_....'

The play started without a problem, with Amane's skilled composed music played through the loudspeakers. Ominous and dark melody played throughout the theater house that even put Monomyou on edge. The first scene that started with _Mephisto_, myself, declared to lure _Faust _from the path of righteousness, which results everyone staring in awe.

The next scene begins with _Faust_, Hisao, in his study room lamenting about his thirst for knowledge and his walk of philosophical talk with _Wagner_, his assistant played by Hiroshi. The abseiler is still stiff with acting but can still managed to match the conman's dramatic talk.

The part where Hisao and I made a pact even went smoothly, not flinching from the sudden use of _'**despair**'_ in the script. Just like that, Nao and Hibiki played their part perfectly. Nao, as _Faust's neighbour,_ who tricked _Gretchen_, Hibiki's role, into meeting and being seduced by him. With the devil working behind the scenes, _the final act draws nearer_.

"Ah geez.... I got really exhausted....." Taking my breath behind the curtain with Hiroshi helping, I never imagined my role being even involved that much. The air even began to feel heavy as the climax of the story is approaching. "I never knew the devil role is really active but I got really into the role. Even the story itself got me really hooked up...."

"Right!?" Hiroshi admitted. "I wasn't really interested in it at first but I got really into it as well!! Even though I wasn't in like most of the parts!!! You were amazing as well!! You gave your own devil's part an alluring charm that I'm sure everyone's mesmerized by your acting!!"

"S-Surely not....I think I just overplayed my part....." I laughed a bit, paying attention to the audience and then frowned. _'Wait.... where are.....?'_

"Ah! It's Taiga and Hisao' turn!!"

_Sure enough_, I recognized this part to be the challenge between _Faust _and _Valentin_, _Gretchen's brother_. Taiga's showcase of rage is really hypnotizing to the point your knees will surely buckled under you with every fiery words spit from his mouth. _'I can see why he has that brother role.... Taiga is really frightening when mad....'_

The music picked up once the two declared their duel..... but.... it sounds.... _off....?_

'_What's happening...? Why does the music sounds so jarring....?_' It's like they've skipped the melody or something._ This is making me_ **_nauseous_**, _why am I feeling like this all of the sudden?_ '_No, it's like.... there's something playing behind that melody. Something.... saying...... is it saying something....?'_

_...._

_'**Look up**'_

....

I unconsciously followed the decoded message in the melodies themselves and immediately felt a cold dread and pit in my stomach, I gripped onto Hiroshi's hand tightly, "_**Move**_....."

"H-Huh?" Hiroshi gasped as I immediately stepped into the spotlight. "S-Sumi, it's not your turn ye-!!"

"_**Move!!! Get out of there!!!!**_" I yelled at the two actors, looking bewildered once I stepped out. I acted without thinking again, nothing is holding me back. _I have to push them away or else_-

Taiga was the first one to react, he must have heard something's off as well. He was confused but at least looked up and finally understands. He took a few steps backwards with a sheer look of terror on his face. Hisao didn't budged, still with that questioning look on his face. I wasted no time and grabbed his arm and pulled away from the spot.....

......_ the spot where one of the stage lights come crashing down.... along with Machi's body, with blood coming out of his mouth._

A scream broke out from the backstage, Nao run towards the site and immediately pulled the body off from the stage light, "_**Macchan!!!**_" Despite her small stature, she can easily moved the body with such force, tears streaming down her face as she did. 

"_Machi_...." This doesn't make sense. _Why him_...? "_What's going on_...."

"What in the actual fuck!?" Higura jumped off of his seat and immediately approached the stage. "What the hell is this?! _When did he-!?_"

Renma and Shoma also acted, heading towards the backstage way, along with Mitsuru who got up and left Monomyou who, with their signature laugh, disappeared while the chaos is still happening. 

"What the hell's going on!? How did this happened!?" I yelled out in frustration. _I don't understand. I couldn't understand. Why is he-_

Another scream broke out, _it's Hibiki this time_.....

"_Hisao, come on-!!!_" I pulled the conman up to his feet, following the source of the scream. Still puzzling the events that's just transpired but Hisao is still aware enough to follow along. Still nauseous from what just happened, _I still need to make a break through it._ The source came from the backstage room that's on the other side; Renma, Shoma and Hibiki were all standing outside, faces twisted in horror.

"_What happen-_" I stopped once I saw the scene, a really strong chemical smell emitted from the room itself but what contained inside the room _is more horrifying_; _Amane lied down on his back, his face blue and contorted in pain, arms grasping onto his chest and stomach, surrounded by the pool of his own blood and bile._

The sight itself already made me sick, the sickening smell of bile and chemical didn't help at all. Unconsciously, I backed myself up onto the wall behind me, feeling dizzy from everything, "Are you serious....? _The two of them.....?"_

_We lost two people.... without even noticing...?_

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_ **"Ladies and Gentleman!! It seems like we have two new murder cases!!! Please gather around outside of the theater house to start clue hunting!!"** _

With that PA system to confirm it, _someone did successfully murdered two people, right under our noses_. "Who..... who could have done this....?" I pleaded, not ask. _I actually pleaded for an answer_. _An answer_.....

....

_An answer that I have to find...... **during the class trial**._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACTS ]  
[ Left-Handed ] Homare, Hisao, Machi  
[ Right-Handed ] Taiga, Saku, Mitsuru, Hiroshi, Kiharu, Renma, Hinako, Nao, Hibiki  
[ Ambidextrous ] Sumi, Higura, Shoma, Amane
> 
> -
> 
> Because the report cards are done, so I thought I would just put facts about them here lol
> 
> I've already planned to write the prequel to this story since this whole series will have a very.... dense plot that I doubt this story alone could explained everything.  
And I also planned to write the rest of the remaining free time events, special events with certain characters and possible love hotel scenes in one story so look forward to that!!
> 
> I gotta keep it real with ya'll, I kept looking at this chapter's case and be like "I think this will get too detailed oh god I'm gonna die explaining things" because remember, I write things without thinking.
> 
> Ye, dont ever do that


	18. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Deadly Life - Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Investigation started.... on a lower note.

_'This can't be happening. Are you fucking serious? Macchan and Amane.... are both dead...? How the hell did we not notice-'_

_"Sumi..."_

"_Wha-_" Shoma appeared right before me before shoving a folded napkin to cover my nose and mouth. I struggled a bit, wondering what the hell is he doing before I heard him said;

"_Critters should leave this place right now_.... the strong chemical smell in here is too dangerous for us to swim through..... Monomyou said they will re-ventilate the theater house for a moment before we could start investigating...."

_'Is that why I feel nauseous earlier...?' _I looked around to see Renma helping Hisao, who look really pale, _'Right, his hyperosmia.... it's too dangerous for him to remain in here....'_

"Alright...." I get up slowly, holding the napkin close to my face. "Everyone, evacuate immediately......."

Without needing to be told twice, everyone walked away from the room, _the room Amane is in_. Gripping onto my front shirt, I keep thinking about it, _'Who... who could have done this and how? How did the culprit get away with this...? Macchan....... he....'_

"_I don't understand_......"I choked out. _I seriously don't get it_.....

Once everyone made it outside, Mitsuru and Higura went over to Hisao and I. "Hey, hey!! Get a grip of yourself!!" Higura yelled, but with a hint of concern in his voice. "From what the furfuck said.... _It would be very shitty to have a third death happening in the row right now!!_"

"What do you mean...?" Hibiki asked, trying to regained back her composure.

"Umm.... we asked Monomyou..... what happened if there's a third death... because we already have.... _**them**_....." Mitsuru flinched a bit mentioning about it. "They said_** it won't happened due to the killing game rules**_.... we just have to focus on the first case....."

"_First case_.....?" removing the napkin and placed it inside my pocket, I tried to ask them without wavering. "What do you mean _'first case'_?"

Right on cue, Monomyou appeared in its previous getup, long brown coat that reaches the ground and a similar color hat, "Wowie!! Thank goodness everyone left the building while they can!!! It would be a total disaster to have everyone dropping dead like flies!! Nyahahahaha!!!"

"What do you mean by _focusing on the first cas_e, you little shit...." Hisao spat out his insult before coughing into his hands. "Fuck.... _that's way too much_...."

"Stay down, you tainted human!!!" Monomyou mocked him. "Perhaps I didn't clarify the killing game rules enough!!!_ If two murders occurred, you only need to find the blackened for the first murder!!! _Which is why-" the cat pulled out the record files from under their coat. "_It's time to be reaaaal careful about this case!!!_"

"Just give it to us already...." I gritted my teeth. _'They're stalling so that we don't have enough time for investigation....'_

"Whoops!! Don't want to anger the devil now do we!" Monomyou snickers as they handed out the _**Monomyou Record File No.3**_. "Happy clue-hunting everyone, especially for our main star attraction!!! _I would like really love to see how you all solve this one!!!_"

Like that, Monomyou disappeared and immediately... I proposed something else, "_Sao and Ren_.... I would like you two to investigate somewhere else....."

"H-Huh!? Little miss, do you really hate me that mu-!?"

"Sao, if you go back in there again, you will end up hurting yourself...." I sternly stated. "Your own condition is too overwhelming, you won't even last a second. So unless you wanna risk dying in there..... _I suggest you should look somewhere else_....."

Hisao was taken back, but gets the idea, "I didn't expect to be shoo'd away for this case but I will listen to ya', little miss!! After all, you will ended up lasso-ing me if I don't listened so I will do what you ask of me for now!!"

"_Thank you for cooperating_....." No matter how much the theater house is well taken care off, Hisao's hyperosmia is not something that can be disregarded so lightly. Just a slight strong smell can easily knocked him out so....._ I guess we have to lose two people from our group for now, just in case_. "You two... can check out the mortuary.... I feel like there's something you need to take a closer there....."

"I understand your suspicion... this chemical-like scent must be something from my domain...." Renma nodded. "I shall re-examined my supplies once more. Such a dreadful turn of events...... I didn't even visit my place this morning for the daily check-up....."

With that, the conman and the mortician left for the hotel. The rest of us check the record file in the mean time. Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see Nao intensely staring at it, eyes visibly red but still looking determined about this case,_ 'She took it the hardest.... but... I'm glad she's willing to fight back....'_

"Let's look over _**Macchan's record**_; _**Time of death**_ is_** approximately**_ _**10 p.m**_. _**Place of death**_ is _**unknown**_. _**Cause of death**_ is **_broken spinal chord caused by a blow from an heavy object_**....."

"_That's_....." Mitsuru's eyes widened. "The time... that's when the sequence where Nao, Hibiki, Hisao and Sumi were on stage... Machi excused himself to use the restroom at the backstage....."

"Hey, you two....." Higura put his hands on his hips, looking at both Hiroshi and Taiga. "Didn't you two seen him at all?? Like shouldn't that be obvious since you guys were also there...."

"We didn't wait at the backstage...." Hiroshi confessed. "We were hiding behind the curtains, right at the sides of the grand stage because our parts were coming up really closely then!!"

_'No witnesses... how is that possible...?'_ "Let's look over _**Amane's record**_ then....." I insisted as we moved on. "_**Time of death**_ is _**10:15 pm**_. **_Place of death_** is **_the dressing room of the theatre house_**. _**Cause of death **_is **_ingestion of substance that leads to internal bleeding_**...."

"What the.... what the fuck does that mean...? He was poisoned then...?" Higura stared at his file confusingly. "How the hell was he poisoned? There's no drinks or anything in the dressing room to even tricked him...."

"But according to this... Macchan's the first one to be murdered....." Mitsuru pointed out. "So do we have to focus on his first...? What about Amane-"

"_**It doesn't matter!!**_" Monomyou suddenly appeared. "Like, I've said before!! _**Just find the blackened for the first murder**_ and you're good to go!!! _**If there happens to be two blackened for these two, then the second blackened wasted their chance!!**_ How pitiful!! Nyahahaha!!! Anyways, the theatre house is good to go!! Happy hunting!!"

All of us immediately move forward, ignoring the crying cat behind us. "Ignoring Amane....." Hibiki muttered. "Even though he's a difficult person.... still...."

"_Then fuck what that cat said_...." Higura demanded. "This class trial is_ all about sniffing out the ones responsible for the murder _so that's we're gonna do. I don't give a shit if we're getting punished for focusing on the second murderer, we all wanna fucking live by knowing who's this wasted blackened is anyways..."

"He's right.... if there really is two blackened...." _Will there be? It's still highly unlikely. _"Then it's best to know who the second one is_ so that we can cornered them_....."

Once inside, we immediately split into three groups._ Higura, Mitsuru_ and _Nao _will investigate Machi's body on the stage,_ Hiroshi _and _Taiga_ will investigate the stage lights from above and lastly, _Shoma_, _Hibiki _and_ I_ will investigate Amane's body inside the dressing room._ 'There's fewer of us left now.... Dammit!! I should have pay more attention to what's happening!!_

With a heavy heart, we approached the dressing room from the back of the stage.

* * *

We can finally breathe in the air normally, the strong smells disappeared in an instant once we got into the room. Immediately, something caught my eye when I looked at Amane's body closely, "Is that... _**tape in his hand**_....?"

I walked over to inspect, moving his arms slightly to the right to get the said item. "A tape... did the culprit used it to cover his mouth or something..?"_And Amane tried to take them off....?_

"Sumi... please hold the penguin-critter really closely...." Shoma said as he walked over to the other side and kneels down. With his other hand that's holding the scalpel, he gently scrapped the corner of Amane's gaping mouth, on it were this strange _**white-jelly like **_**_substance_**, "Hmmm.... this looks familiar... from the mortuary....."

_'Glad I made the choice to send those two there.....' _For once, I felt relief. Glancing back the tape in hand, there's even white jelly things on it. "But what could he possibly ingested....?"

Hibiki, trying not to look at the body, made her over to the corner of the room, where there's a wardrobe closed. The moment she opened it, she gasped, "I-I think I found it....."

I walked over and picked up what she found, one of the**_ embalming chemicals_** from the mortuary, "I knew it.... the culprit used the things from mortuary in this case...."

"Sumi-critter, be glad you're wearing gloves.....!" Shoma called out. "That bottle.... Ren doesn't want to touch that either....!! It's highly corrosive in matter of seconds....!!"

"Even with a small amount.... you're immediately gone within seconds once your insides started to deteriorate...." Hibiki shuddered at the image. Inspecting the wardrobe's doors closely, there are similar white jellied thing stick to it, still soft and really warm, "Just what is this thing....? _**Why is it all over the edges**_....?"

"Hmm..... _this penguin-critter's legs are broken_...."

"What?" Both Hibiki and I turned around but the other winced once they saw Shoma attempting to twist Amane's legs in a weird angle. "_Shoma_, _we get your point_...."

"_Sorry_....." Shoma lowered his head. "But _**his ankles are all broken**_..... even_** his neck has a bit of a bruise**_...... it seems this penguin-critter and the culprit are in some sort of fight....?"

_Amane fought back his culprit but in the end... he lost..... **wait**_. "If he fought back then..... does that mean he got force-feed this....?" I stared at the chemical bottle in my hand. "The culprit should have had chemical burns or a stain at least on their clothes if there's a struggle happening...."

"Everyone looked clean...." Hibiki pointed out. "I check on every single one of us, even Monomyou...... there's no burns, stains or even that strong smell coming from each and every single one of us...."

"Then how did the culprit even...... plus what did the culprit used for the-"

"Ah- Hold on!!" the opera singer went into wardrobe, pushing aside others stuffs to grabbed something, _**a crowbar**_. "Could it be this....?"

".... _Possible_....." _Why would the culprit hid in here.... without worrying that others might check in here? _".... Hibiki, Shoma.... you two were the first one who discovered his body.... right...? What happened before that...?"

"Hmm.... when Ren and I walked up..... we passed by the closed dressing room that has such a familiar smell...." Shoma told his side of the story. "We tried to open the door but..._ it wouldn't budged_..... so.... Ren and I have to forcefully open the door at the same time.... that's when the siren came and screech......."

"So _**the dressing room door was jammed**_...." Walking over to the door frame, I inspected it closely._ 'Again, these white stuffs but now they're a bit tough to remove... we could hardly see them when we first entered here.... just what are the stuffs anyways.....?'_

"What about it, Sumi.....? Have any idea....?" Shoma skipped over and asked. "Or you need more clues....?"

"Amane's case doesn't provide much and I couldn't think of anything else so...." I turned to Shoma. "_Shou-chin... I need your help with this.... I don't think I can do it on my own_....."

I can see his face immediately lightened up, hearing the nickname I've given to him must have done that, "This critter will do his best!! This critter will help his friend in time of need!!"

His reaction made me smile, _'Almost like a kid..... after all, his whole attitude kind of reminiscence one....'_. Letting him to go ahead, Hibiki still inside, staring at Amane's stiff body,_ 'Ah... she's looking at it directly.... like she doesn't mind it at all anymore....'_

"Hibiki...?"

"Ah..... you two can go ahead..... there's something I needed to say to Amane...._ while he's here still_...." She doesn't look at me directly.

"_Alright_...." Reluctantly, I leave her alone with the composer's body. _'..... Even though they're not close..... Hibiki still feel remorse for his death...... she still cares about Amane, no matter how cold she acted towards him before.....'_

_........_

_'No, I shouldn't doubt anyone's kindness like that..... nobody deserved to die here in the first place.....'_

With a flourish, I met up with Shoma who has been waiting for me.

* * *

Shoma and I decided to check on Taiga and Hiroshi' findings first. Investigating the stage lights above, we went up the metal stairs leading to the lighting system of the grand stage, taking notes of _**the speakers surrounding ceiling**_ as well,_ 'They should have heard anyone coming up here but.... could the music be the problem....? Did the really intense background music be really enough to mask anyone's steps....?'_

The biologist got up first before I do, heading towards Taiga who's been down this entire time, "Tiger shark... any luck...?"

"Erm.... not really......" Taiga is still looking downwards. "We just found some_** loose screws**_.... there's also a _**toolbox**_ here, the culprit must have used one of the tools in there to do the job.... there's also _**one tool missing**_ as well....."

_'The crowbar.... that settles it...' _I mentally thanked Hibiki for noticing that sooner. I wouldn't want to know what would happened if I missed it or even check the wardrobe even deeper. "Taiga... are you looking at the spot where stage light dropped...?"

"No... I'm just trying to test out something....." Taiga claimed, holding onto _something_. "Hiroshi is down there right now, proving my suspicions....."

"Hiro- _What?_" I immediately looked over the rail and the abseiler suspended with wires connected to the speakers. "H-Hey!? That's way too dangerous!! _What the hell were you two thinking!?_"

"It's fine!!!" Hiroshi grinning as he let his hands go and the wire swayed dangerously slow. "I made sure there's a tighter grip this time!!"

"_This time!?_"

"_Yeah, that's a long story between the two of us_....." the marksman sighed. "But yeah.... no doubt about it. Where Hiroshi is suspended above.... is_** the direct place where that stage light was dropped**_....."

"Strange..." Shoma swayed from side-to-side. "Why does the culprit want to get rid of the lighting effects in the first place.....? If the culprit left the bookworm alone up here..... it wouldn't make much difference...... we would still notice the bookworm disappeared during their performance....."

_Shoma's right, what's the point crashing the stage light down below then? Does the culprit have some sort of ulterior motive....? Were they aiming for something...?_

"Alright, I'm pulling you up!!" Taiga called out to Hiroshi who just give a thumb-up in response. "Oh yeah, Sumi.... I wanna ask you something.... I'm sure it sounds like pure coincidence.... but...._** do you think the deaths this time were related to our play....?**_"

"What....?"

"_Well think about it_....." Hiroshi easily got over the rails, and landed safely. The marksman helped him untied the knots, "In that story, _Gretchen's mother died from some sort of sleeping potion_.... and _Amane was killed by ingesting some kind of poisonous substance_... right?"

"Not only that....." the abseiler added in his point. "When Macchan... _appeared_..... it happened _right before the duel between Taiga and Hisao_.... _between Valentin and Faust_...._ before Valentin was even killed_....."

"_An imitation murder_....." Of course, I have heard of this. I collected a lot of information for one of the police forces who's hunting down a certain serial murderer....._ or some sort of crazed group who admired such person._ "It's.... possible...everyone did received the script play.... including the people who weren't chosen for acting...." Then, I remembered something else. "..... Taiga, Hiroshi.... do you remember w_ho went onto the stage_ and _who left the stage after their part is done_...? Like... _which direction did they go_...?"

"Right... because you were needed a lot during the play...." Hiroshi cleared his throat, preparing for a long talk. "_**From the audience's viewpoint**_, _you always go back to the right side of the stage _and _Hisao_, at first, _came from the left side but returned to the right side for the rest of the play as well as me_. I think t_he only people remained the left side of the stage were Nao, Taiga and Hibiki_.... but.... still.... this is still confusing...."

"But I think we can narrowed the suspects down slightly. You're really helpful, no worries...." I thanked Hiroshi quickly. "I will be heading down then.... if you guys are done.... we should re-grouped once more to discuss our findings...."

_"Gotcha'!!"_

"Shou-chin, let's go...." As usual, the biologist overtake me as soon as I said that, following closely behind his lead. But once midway down the stairs, Shoma suddenly jumped down from the highest point without a problem and ran off. "H-Hey!!" I immediately give chase.

Thankfully, he stopped nearby, examining the.... _fire extinguisher right behind the stage_. "Sumi... take a closer look at this...."

"D-Don't just go off like that..... You almost made me worried-"

"Worry about... _what? Why would you be worry_..?"

"I.... _umm_.... Never mind, you just gave me.... a sudden fright that's all...." I shook my head to get rid of those worrisome thoughts as I did what Shoma said. It's an ordinary fire extinguisher attached to the wall.... _but_.... "_What's this...?_" I peeled off something that was hiding behind it, that was covered up by the wall, "Another tape....? But why...?" _It's a **bloody tape** as well_.....

"Not only that.... look at where we're standing....." looking below, I can see _**the wooden floors of the stage with streaks of blood**_, as if someone was trying to wiped them clean. "Could it be.... _**the fire extinguisher**_ was used as the culprit's weapon...?"

_Well, there's only one case that would needed it and that's...._

.....

........

"_**But wouldn't someone noticed it**_.....?" I asked, loudly, _that suddenly hits me_. "This place is _near the left side of the stage_, _really near the dressing room_ as well.... _**why didn't anyone hear anything then**_....?"

".... Perhaps.... the critters' _**positions during the play**_..... holds a lot more significance than we first thought......" Shoma shoved his hands in his lab coat's pockets. "I think.... we searched enough..... it's time we investigate Macchan's case....."

"R-Right...." _It's like the first case all over again. Someone should have noticed something...... or even heard anything at all. There's no doubt about it that the culprit..... has to be one of the people involved in the play....._

* * *

Nao, Higura and Mitsuru were investigating Machi's body, with the ghostwriter still kneeling down, looking over the librarian. Her stature shaking a bit.

"Nao....." _They're close, there's no denying that. Losing your friend in this situation so drastically... so unexpectedly..... hurts a lot_. "Nao... did you.... all find anything....?"

"Hmmmm.... just this..." Mitsuru opened up her hands to find _**another loose screw and some sort of metal panel**_. "This was near the stage light but other than that.... not so much...."

"I see....." I glanced over Machi once more. "I will be investigating his body..... Nao... would you mind if I...?"

The ghostwriter just nodded as she stood up and back away a little. Her tears are already dried up but the redness under her eyes remained. Her gaze on the body hasn't broke yet.

"Macchan, _pardon me for being invasive_....." I quietly spoke to him as I started reaching. There's a_paper in his pocket_ that I immediately pulled it out and unfolded, reading its contents, " [ "_There's something I needed to tell you..... meet me at the backstage..... something about the script I received just isn't right_" ].... No signature or anything..... This has to be the culprit's doing...."

"So he was summoned and this fucker think nothing of it....?" Higura sneered. "Why the fuck would he even go in the first place? He's smarter than this.... or are we overestimating him too much....."

"...... There's a lot to this I still can't wrap my head around but....." First thing first, there's something else I wanted to know as well. "_Mochi, Mitsun_.... when did Amane and Machi left their seats exactly? This is crucial...."

"Ummm... like I've said before..... Machi left when Nao's part played.... but I'm not sure about Amane... we were really focused on the play, we're terribly sorry!!" Mitsuru bowed down.

"Not only that.... the music was like... too fucking loud that we didn't notice them leaving their seats....." Higura complained. "Like my eardrums are going to seriously fucking burst if they ever go a volume higher!!"

_**The music volume**_.... not only that, _was it just me who noticed something weird about it? Like there's some kind of_....

_Wait..._

_....._

_Don't tell me..._

* * *

_"Here ya' go!!"_

_The conman handed Amane and I numerous musical sheets, "Study them!! They're gonna be very much useful in due time!!_

* * *

....

......

_'Mafuyu Hisao, what the fuck did you just do....?' _My eyes widened once I remembered that, that moment where it was just him, Amane and I at the bar, right after we knew about the Ultimate Academy from just a few days ago. I only studied the musical sheet once or twice but that's it. I didn't think much of it after that.

_Now...._

_Right now.........._

_'But....** he would have known**....' _That's the contradiction here._ 'If he was the one behind it.... he would also have known about that **secret message within the music** itself..... he would have looked up as well..... so... who was Amane targeting for....?'_

_...... **<strike>Is it me?</strike>**_

_ _

"Sumi....." Shoma waved his hand in front of me. "Spacing out again....? Did the chemical got into Sumi's head.....?"

"A-Ah no.... just thinking about this...." I hurriedly shoved the letter in my pocket and continue searching but so far, _there's nothing on him at all_. "W-What...? That's seriously it....?"

"Yeah, that's what we thought!!!" said Higura. "We didn't inspect the body since we're leaving that job to you but honestly, this just fuck us up even more!! Like, there's nothing on him we can even deduce why he went to the back in the first place!!"

"I-I... _saw him last night_....." Nao confessed, her stuttering returned. "When I was returning back to my room after the practice play, he was standing outside of his room, looking really worried.... I asked him what's wrong but he just brushed me off.... saying that it's nothing......."

At that point, he must have received that calling letter. So the culprit plan's started from yesterday? But when did they get to visit the mortuary? That embalming chemical is highly reactive when exposed to outside environment for too long so they must have gotten hold of it today.

For now, I will be taking note of _**Nao's account **_as well as _**Mitsuru's**_ and _**Higura's**_ **_account_**.

"Shou-chin... may I ask you something....? I'm done inspecting Macchan's body...." I stood up, holding the biologist by the arm and pulling him away from others and out of their earshot. "This morning.... _did you see anyone headed for the elevator or anything after the Mini-myous gave our costumes_....?"

"_Elevator_..... no......" Shoma answered simply. "Ren and I went for a swim..... Hisao and Hibiki went for a practice a bit at the theater..... Higura and Mitsuru went to the bar they said...... Machi and Nao was at the library all day...... and... Hiroshi and Taiga went to the gymnasium......"

"That's.... very concrete alibi....." Again, everyone's accompanied by another person and the only people who didn't witness anyone going anywhere should be.... "_No one has seen Amane for the entire day_....."

".... Ah that....." Shoma frowned. "..... Could the penguin critter possibly..... _did it to himself_......?"

"No, there's a struggle going on so there's no way he.... _would inflicted that much damage onto himself_....." Plus, it would mean he would only have matter of seconds to hide everything. I doubt it's even enough. And whatever that substance is.... if he's the one who applied it, _he wouldn't end up in that position_.....

"Still stumped....." the biologist pouted. "Should we check Ren and that creature now...? I think they're done....."

"S-Sure but we have to-"  
  


"We will discuss about it once everyone's present.... It would be troublesome if we did so now without those two.... _there will be a lot of current waves_....." Shoma explained.

_'Right... if we present our evidences during the class trial... Renma and Hisao wouldn't even know anything about it and would think I'm just flaunting it so....' _"Yeah, you're right.... let's go...."

Shoma called out to the others that we're leaving and will be waiting at the hotel. Once everyone gave out their reply, we immediately left the place.

* * *

Sao-chin.... are you alright?"

"Ah, little miss!! Finish with your side of the investigation? It's unfortunate but looks like I'm not going to be much of a help for this trial!!!" Hisao is lying down on the couch in the reception area, with the napkin still covering the lower part of his face. "Hahaha, it seems this one fucking culprit really planned ahead my demise...!"

" You just suffered from an unfortunate health complication....." said Shoma, looking over. "This critter culprit couldn't be considering you-"

"_They did_...." Out of nowhere, Renma appeared right behind us with a serious expression. "When I checked my mortuary.... a culprit left behind a note... probably accidentally..."

The said note was in his hands, he unfolded and read it out loud, " _[ "Highly corrosive chemical in the mortuary, strong smell will be able to render the thorn useless and unable to investigate..." ]_ "

"Another note...?" But this time, it's a reminder for the culprit themselves? Two notes, a **_note that lured out Machi_** and a _**note that contained vital information about the plan**_. Both of them have to be written by the culprit, right?

"The special adhesive I applied to the mortuary door was unfortunately torn off.... I didn't expect the culprit to know about the materials I used...." the mortician sighed. "It would be near impossible to _remove such adhesive without a lighter_....And unfortunately.... _I lost mine this morning_...."

"A....**_ lighter_**...?" What kind of adhesive is that..? Is it the _barrier protection charms_ that Shoma was talking about....?

"I usually light special candles in my own room for relaxation and aromatherapy...." Renma explained. "I used _special adhesive I applied to the door frame that could only be removed when exposed to warm temperature_. Although, they're quite _sensitive material_, even _small exposure of heat could easily make them melt away_...."

"That's....." _**That has to be it**_. "Alright, I will be explaining our findings as well then....."

Shoma and I take turns explaining, we can see how both of their expressions slowly morphed into confusion. After we're done, Hisao immediately stood up straight, "Well, this is really tricky.... _reaaaaaal tricky_.... and I can't believe this is the second time someone tried to kill me!! Am I really that unlikable!?"

"_Personal preference_....." It would make sense why they want him out immediately, _he is our savior sort of_. "So..... what do you guys personally think...? Are there two blackened or....?"

"_Possible_..... but I doubt anyone would risk that!!" Hisao exclaimed. "I mean, it said so on the killing game rules!! The other blackened would be completely ignored so why even want to murder someone else right after the first one?"

_Unless they're planning to murder two people in the first place..... but that will only work.... if there's only one culprit. _......

_This is the first time.... I felt really lost_......

Years of working myself to no end, not leaving any mysterious traces and tying up all loose ends..... _and **this** is what stumped me in the end? That's so fucking laughable_-

_"Chop!"_

_"Ackh!!"_

Shoma delivered a swift blow to the back of my neck, cutting out air for a moment as I begin coughing. "W-What...? Why did you do that...?"

"You're thinking about negative stuffs, weren't you....?" He seemed upset. "That's no good.... bad... that's bad!! If you don't say it, you will explode!!!"

"_Ex-Explode_....?" Trying to regain back my speaking voice, I asked. "Shou-chin... I-I know you're trying to cheer people up but hitting them without permission isn't going to work at all-"

"I'm not cheering any critter..... _I'm scolding instead_....." Shoma clarified himself. "If I cheer.... other critters will think it's fine to do it again.... so if I scolded instead, every critter will understand that it's not a good thing to do..... so Sumi..... what's in your mind...?_ We want to help as well_..."

That '_we_' Shoma mentioned, Hisao and Renma is looking right at me. With all three pair of eyes staring, I have to forced myself to admit it, "I just don't know.... I don't know what to think about this case..... _I was so focused about the reward that Monomyou mentioned..... I got completely distracted from what's happening around me_...... I should have pay more attention....It's... _my fault for going along what that host said_....maybe this is just karma from what Amane has been saying..... _I'm sorry, everyone_....."

_Vulnerable_.

That's the first time.... _I was being vulnerable to everyone_.

I wasn't expecting anything, any encouragement or what but....

"_Yeah, I completely agree with you... you're definitely being too gullible this time_....." Hisao replied, all too calmly. "I mean, I followed along because I thought you had some sort of plan for this one but it turns you didn't, huh? Imagine my shock!! I'm greatly disappointed in you, little miss....."

"It turns out I'm not really that bright, huh...?" That damn time limit motive, if I wasn't too focused on that, I would have thought of another way. "Now... we lost two people... because of that stupid play-"

"_Whoa there!!_" Hisao stopped me right before I could finish my sentence. "We can blame you for listening to Monomyou for once but we can't really blame you for the deaths of those two.... _those were planned really way back than we first thought!!_"

"What....?" _What does that mean?_ "Mafuyu Hisao,_ I swear to god_, what do you mean by that?"

Following the conman's behavior pattern, he just grinned at me, _wanting me to figure that out during the class trial_. _Typical_, a massive hint he dropped out of nowhere. Even Shoma and Renma just looked at him in shock as what he just said. But Hisao just stretched his arms around and pointed out, "By the way, everyone's here already... don't kept them waiting, little miss!!"

"Everyone...." Sure enough, once I turned around, the people from the theater house were already here, standing around with unreadable expressions. "H-How long were you guys....?"

"_Long enough to hear you bitching about yourself_...." Higura glared as he approached me slowly. "I heard enough depressive crap from everyone here but yours just take the cake, _literally, _and I fucking hate it so goddamn much. How stupid can you be for trusting that furfuck in the first place? You literally set yourself a death trap without realizing! Man, I can't believe I actually trust your guts in this one!!"

_He's going to hit me, isn't he?_ This familiar pent-up aggression, Higura is pissed at me for not giving this whole motive a second thought. _Yeah, that's reasonable_. It's reasonable why he would be so-

_He did the unexpected._

Higura pulled me into a hug, "But _God fucking damn it,_ I can't fucking blame you for everything! We're all idiots here for depending on such a one-sided opinion!!! We're all even here _so don't fucking beat yourself up for something that wasn't your own fault to begin with!!_"

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ahem! Your investigation time is up!! Alright, little detectives!!! It's time to move forward to the exciting '**Class Trial'** event!! Please head your way to the northwest of the hotel immediately!!_

The graphic designer lets go and I was lost for words. "Ah... I.... _Was that_... _a warning _or......"

"Who gives a shit_, it's yours to think about it_...." Higura shrugged. "Anyways, time for the most _pain-the-ass event_ for tonight.... _move out, everyone!!_ Let's finish this as soon as possible!!" Everyone hesitated to leave and keep glancing back at my direction, but one by one, they did so. _Until it was just the four of us in the hotel._

"Well.... there you go...." Hisao patted my head. "You got your answer.... do you still think people blame you for those two's untimely demise? _Or does your mind still speaks otherwise? Alrighty then, _I'm leaving that inner battle to you, little miss!! Toodles'!"

Hisao went ahead, catching up with others. "Honestly, that man has no boundaries....." Renma placed his hand on my shoulder. "Sumi... let's go..... if it helps your heart to be in peace,_ everyone here knows you have good intentions_..... _we're just blinded by other unforeseen circumstances_..."

"_Let's go, let's go!!_" Shoma pushed the both of us forward.

_............_

_Forward._

_That's right._

_There's no other way... but to push forward.... for now._

* * *

The elevator to our destination descended way quicker that before, there are fewer of us left and it doesn't feel like we're being suffocated in here anymore. For once, everyone looked composed, they're not worried or anything. It's .... _unusual_.

_'I wonder what everyone.... thought about just now when I.....'_ I shook my head, trying to forget about those negative thoughts. _'No.... if what Higura said is true then.... there's no other reason why I should keep putting myself down now, right?'_

_"Sumi... we're here already!"_

Mitsuru standing right in front of me, with a confident smile, "_It's gonna be alright!!_ We will definitely find the culprit behind this case no matter what!! _You have everyone else on your side!!"_

_Very hero-like_. Her attempt to bring other people's hope up is quite effective, I did smiled a bit as she dragged me to my own podium. Everyone, at their podium, looked determined, smiling at my way. Even Nao, who's always shy and prone to crying, stand her ground, ready for the trial.

A really... _unexpected sight_. But, seeing all of them like this, _I feel way more determined right now...!_

"Monomyou...." I started, glaring at the host in their seat. "I hope you're not wasting our time idling around right now. Everyone's already in their places so _why don't you do your duty as our host and start this trial now?_"

"Ohohoho? Feeling rather feisty now, are we!?" Monomyou snickers. "Well then, hope all of you are really prepared!! Because this case... _**will really make or break ya'!!! **_Finding out who's the culprit of these two murders will surely entertained everyone till the end!!_ It's time to give it your all!!_"

_"We can now officially start the **Class Trial**!!! With your wits and strength on this nightly trial!! _ _**It's time to refute with all your might!!**"_

_'Will there be one blackened? Or two? Whoever they are, they killed two people in one night without any remorse. They got guts for ruining our chances to get our answers, now, it's time to ruin their chances from even escaping this place unscathed! **We won't give up hope**, not now.... not ever!!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACTS ]  
In terms of their speech-tic, Hiroshi and Taiga speaks in Kansai-ben. While everyone uses formal self pronouns ('watashi'/'boku'), only Higura uses 'washi' (who wanted to be seen as superior than everyone else) and, Hinako and Renma uses 'atashi' (befitting their matured and old way of speaking)
> 
> Hisao and Shoma speaks in riddles..... they're just like that.
> 
> -
> 
> I actually imagine all of them talking in Japanese as I wrote their conversation because to me, it's kind of easier.  
My days of translating mobage by text and hearing has done me great service and pain.


	19. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Deadly Life - Trial I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial started and in order to determined if there's actually two blackened, they must clear up the 'real motive' of this case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- comes in with a messy planner for future stories -  
This chapter, and probably the next one, is all over the place but so am I.
> 
> Also, this is like pulling numerous UNO Reverse card at each other and tbh that's like every trial ever in this story.

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"Now then, due to this exciting development of our magnificent play, this class trial will determined on who are the killers of _**Sekiguchi Amane**_, _the arrogant **Ultimate Composer** _and _**Yokoda Machi**, the gentle **Ultimate Librarian**!_" announced Monomyou. "Of course, like I've said before, _**you only need to find the blackened responsible for the first one!**_ But if you really want to, _you can find out who's the second blackened as well!! _Maybe, just maybe!! _One of you might ambushed them after this, nyahahaha!!!"_

"Anyways, let's proceed the trial as usual!! _Vote for the **correct culprit** and **they will be punished!! **Vote **wrongly **then **everyone's punished except for the killer**!! Now then, let us all hear your verdicts!!_"

"Sorry, my fellow friends!!" Hisao started, placed his hand on his forehead and the other on his chest as he dramatically faint. "It's unfortunate but I won't be much of a help for this trial for I drastically been cursed by the culprit's trap!! Oh, how unfortunate!!!"

"You're sick, so what, this trial will go even more smoothly if you shut the hell up...." Higura sighed. "_Like what that furfuck said_, the first case is more important but.... it's going to be real tough since _there's close to nothing about Machi's case that we can even talk about_....."

"Ummm..... perhaps we can start with identifying the weapon but......" Mitsuru added. "We didn't really find one during our investigation....huh?"

"There's no way there isn't one!!" Nao exclaimed. "There has to be a weapon!! The culprit must have hid it somewhere!!!"

"Relax, little ghost....." Shoma tried to calm the writer from a far. "I agree... the weapon is the main factor here.... we must determined that first...."

_'The weapon used to kill Machi.... it must have been that, right? That thing we found at the back of the stage....!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"There's no way the murder weapon wouldn't exist!!" Nao yelled.

"But we didn't find one during our investigation...." Mitsuru pointed out. "**_Maybe the culprit disposed of the weapon_**....."

"_Maybe they hid it in plain sight_..." Hibiki asked. "Because nobody would even suspect it?"

"Or maybe there's no weapon to begin with..." said Higura. "_**It's possible that he just died on impact**_..."

"It is a huge drop....." Hiroshi wondered. "Like_ he might have been pushed off_...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No... there's definitely a weapon... like what Hibiki said...." I explained thoroughly. "Shou-chin and I found a _**fire extinguisher**_ at the back of the stage. If you swing one and just aim for the weakest point in the human body, in this case _**their spine**_, _it is enough to kill a person in** one blow**_....."

"And there's another weird nickname, _great_....." Higura mentioned the least important part out. "But I can see that.... shattering someone's spine is really fucking easy. _Putting back the weapon in its original place, though, is a weird move from the culprit_....."

"Not quite...." Renma pondered. "Anyone in charge of backstage would have noticed the fire extinguisher that suddenly disappear from it usual place and be very wary about it.... _which brings me to my next point_; _**where was he actually killed**?_"

"That was marked _**unknown **_in the record as well...." said Taiga. "But it's kind of obvious that he was killed up where the stage lights are...."

"There would have been blood dripping from above and onto the stage...." Hibiki rebutted. "There's no way that would happened...."

"Unless you placed something underneath the body then there's no way there will be any blood spill!" Mitsuru remarked.

"Then we would have find some kind of matting or sheets when we investigate that place...." said Hiroshi. "Yet there was none and the railings were all clean too!!"

"W-well.. the culprit could have disposed it as well....." Nao replied. "_And we couldn't really find it_....."

_'The place where Machi was ambushed. If I remembered correctly, it's not too far from the murder weapon as well.....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"The only possibility is that_** he was killed above where the stage lights are**_..." Taiga proposed.

"We would have noticed _a trail or spill of blood at least on the stage below_...." Hibiki shoots down.

"Maybe _he was killed at the back of the stage_ when there's no one around?" said Mitsuru.

"Too risky...." Renma pointed out. "_They would have done it in a more secluded room_...."

"Is it possible _**he was killed out of the theatre house**_?" Hiroshi asked.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"_Mitsuru's right_, _**Macchan was killed at the backstage **_while we were too busy doing our theatre play...." I can see the cosmetologist pumped her hands up for getting it right. "When we inspected the back stage, we found the _**wooden floor with streaks of blood**_ on it so it's possible that he was killed there-"

( _**ARGUED: Yoshimune Taiga**_ \- _"Your weak points are showing!!"_ \- )

* * *

"No, it's wrong to think he would be even killed there!!" Taiga argued.

"_What gives you that idea_...?" That was surprising, I didn't expect it but at the same time, I'm curious to what he's going to say about this. "I would like to hear your opposing points..."

"Gladly!!" Taiga grinned. "Those_** streaks of blood on the floor are just the culprit dragging Macchan's body from somewhere else**_!! There's no way the culprit would even kill when there's that many people waiting by the sidelines!!"

"_There were streaks because it's the culprit's attempt to wiped off the blood_...." I replied. "And don't forget, _we're only waiting on the either side of the stage. Neither of us even noticed there was something going on or even heard anything_. And saying that the culprit dragged the body.... _are you suggesting that they might killed them in the dressing room?_"

"It's the most likely choice!!" Taiga exclaimed. "If the culprit really did killed them backstage and try to clean up their crime, _**there would have been evidence left by the culprit themselves!!**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"Funny that you said that because the culprit did left a rather sloppy evidence...." I pulled the said evidence from my pocket. "_A **bloody tape** I found hiding behind the** fire extinguisher**_.... this also leads me to conclude that latter to be the murder weapon as well...."

"Did you.... _actually put that in your own jacket?_" Taiga looks horrid.

_"Yes, I'm taking that risk...."_ I replied without a beat. "There's no other disposable materials on the stage, _it has to be the tape_....."

"If the culprit's smart, they would have used the tissues or napkins from the dressing room but perhaps they don't want to alert the actors who were waiting for their part next...." said Renma. "So they settle with the tape...._ I wonder what's the intended use of that tape to begin with_.....?"

_'The reason why the tape was used in Macchan's case has to be....'_

_................._

_............._

"The only thing I can think of is_** to cover his mouth as he was being murdered**_..... It's hard to imagine being so quiet and out of it when your spine just got shattered by a really heavy object....." I suggested. "_But that would have result in a struggle_.... huh...."

I just realized something, _Hisao is being really quiet this entire time_. He was just leaning over his podium looking at everyone with a boring look on his face._ Did he seriously stayed quiet just because Higura told him so?_ I sighed and called out, "_Sao-chin, you can talk now_....."

"Oh, good!!" Hisao straightened up his posture. "I got really bored at everyone suggesting a question and poor little miss has to answer all by herself!!_ Booo, you guys suck! As well as your questions!!_"

"Oh yeah, ask better ones then!" Higura spat.

"_Okay!!_ Then here's my question!! _Why did Macchan go to the backstage in the first place?_" Hisao asked. "It's kind of weird he would go to the back all alone!!"

That's.... _didn't Mitsuru said so earlier?_ She said that Machi was going to use the restroom at the back? Or is he saying that because there's something else to the mystery?

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Now, why did our precious librarian_** went to the backstage in the first place?**_" Hisao asked.

"He said _he wanted to use the restroom_, that's it...." Higura furrowed his brows. "_It's not rocket science, you idiot_...."

"But _the__ restroom is at our side_...." mentioned Hiroshi. "_**I would have seen him approaching from the right side of the stage!!**_"

"I'm sure_** he has no other motives to even want to go to the backstage**_....." said Renma. "We're overthinking this simple action...."

"Maybe _he found something suspicious_...?" Nao asked.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No, that's wrong. Macchan did have other things to do when he excused himself....." I rebutted. "Look at _**this note**_ I found in his pocket..... _**he was planning to meet someone else on stage about the script they've received**_...."

"_Something strange about the script_.... that they wanted to talk about......" Nao carefully read it out loud. "...... I've seen that note when you pulled it out of his pocket but.... I still don't get it....."

"Now, now, Nao.... I know you wanna avenge Macchan but now it's little miss' turn to shine..." Hisao smirked. "Now,_ little miss devil_, _who could have sent that note? Who in this room would have the script that seemed a little bit off...?_"

_'Ah, so that's where you're leading me ahead. As expected, the conman who would just threw out bunch of things out in the open, getting at least one of them correct. Well, guess I have to play** hook-line-and-sink **now, do I?'_

_......................._

_................_

_"**Sekiguchi Amane**........_ Hisao pointed this out yesterday morning when everyone showed off their script to get them checked....._ Amane still has few extra pages in his envelope that he secretly kept with him_......"

"Because of that, I took my sweet time seducing the composer into spilling some details, it was hard work, ya' know!?" Hisao whined. "Last night, I went to his room with Nao.... apparently his script said something about _**a fake player being in the killing game**_....."

"A... _A fake player_....? What does that mean...?" Mitsuru stammered.

"_**A fake player is what it is!!**_ Someone who's not supposed to be here!! Someone who's not supposed to participate!!" Hisao exclaimed. "And all I can theorise why this fake player is with us..... _**is because they're working for the mastermind**_....."

_'The cat's out of the bag, it's hard to imagine such a wild theory from almost a week ago became relevant right now.....'_ I collapsed onto my podium for a while. _'But why was Amane the only one who have that still...? Where does that brings us in this matter....?'_

"Well, I got really bored for dilly-dallying for too long because you guys are so slow so say consider this; _**what if Amane tried to kill the fake player?**_"

"Eh!?" Nao and Mitsuru gasped, I immediately jolted back in my podium when I heard that._ Amane planning to murder....? Is he......serious?_ "You're saying that.... **_Amane sent that note to Machi_**....._** to kill him because he thinks he's the fake player**__?_"

"What? It's not that hard to imagine...." Hisao shrugged. "I mean, he did act cold towards us in the end. He was against this play to begin with. And let me rephrase what your meeting with that composer was like, saying things like '_maybe a super secret evil organisation is behind this killing game'_...?"

"Ohohoho! I have heard of that idea!!" Monomyou snickers. "_Sounds like a really good backstory for a character from a fictional dystopian TV show!!_ Better jot that idea down for future purposes!! One man's trash is another _mya_n's treasure! _Ackh-! I stuttered!!!"_

"It's just his hunch, right....?" Taiga looked at him confused. "I mean..... yeah, it sounds more likely but why do you think he's really fixated on that??"

"Oh... for no reasons..... perhaps he was just fooling around with it....." Hisao whistles. "Like he just thought it's a neat idea and begin screwing people around with it!!"

_'Screwing people around..... that seems a bit childish-'_ My eyes widened. "..... _**Amane is trying to weed out the fake player by saying things like that**_...."

"A_** hook-line-and-sinker**_ type of approach....." Hisao grinned._ Ah, this bastard_. "If Amane trying to riled up the fake player by doing that kind stunt.... and see who reacted the most.... after all,_ the most guilty one is often the most reactive_....."

"N-Now that you mentioned it......" Taiga remembered something. "..... _He did said something like around Hibiki and I yesterday afternoon_...... we were really confused why he even did that...... he did that after visiting us at the bar..... and just left....."

"That's a strange roster of people he asked....." Renma narrowed his eyes. "If he were adamant to weed out the fake player, _he could have went for everyone in one go_....."

"He wasn't because he was too sure of himself, _you know like he always is?"_ Hisao hummed. "He went for these people because they have one thing in common....."

_'The one thing in common that Taiga, Hibiki and possibly Machi has to be related with that thing... when we were discussing about the **mysterious lucky student** and the **Ultimate Despair**......'_

......................

................

"_**They were the only ones who partially remembered their past**_....? But that still doesn't make any sense! _They only remembered bits about that missing lucky student!_ Nothing about the fake player!"

"We don't even know if they're even connected as well!!" Hibiki argued. "I think you should stop screwing around and throwing nonsensical things into this trial thinking it makes sense to you!! This is serious, you know!_ Nothing you propose makes any sense!!_"

"Of course, it doesn't make sense!!" Hisao exclaimed. "Macchan's entire case itself basically doesn't make any sense!!! That's why we're here arguing about it!!"

"No, it's not!!" Nao yelled. "_There has to be a reason why Macchan's even killed!!_"

_....... Doesn't makes sense....._

"_Sao-chin_.... _**are you saying Amane just went for a blind kill?**_" I asked, my voice wavering. "Are you saying that there's a possibility that Machi reacted so heavily to that fake player sentence that _Amane deemed it enough to kill him? Is that what you're saying??_"

"_We were at height of paranoia_...." said Hisao. "_Anyone could act rather selfishly at that moment_. _**It doesn't matter what or why and it never has to make any sense**_._** Anyone can kill anyone**_, _you don't even need to justify your own reasoning to do it_. It's just one less piranha in the sea!! Let me ask you all this; _do you guys really know who Sekiguchi Amane really is?_"

_"This isn't the time for some pep-talk-"_

"No, no, I'm getting annoyed by everyone here so let me spill thoughts into this....." Hisao cuts off Hiroshi with a glare. "You guys have to stop saying things doesn't make sense _just because Amane has no reason to kill anyone out of the blue_. If you gave someone such a non-descriptive message, they will get paranoid over it that they will go to the extremes making sure they're safe at all costs!! _Prioritizing friendships and all is pretty useless when there's a dangerous person lurking in the group as well!!_"

"Y-You're saying......" Nao stammered. "_Macchan was killed.... for nothing...?" _No one wants to confirm that but at the same time, _no one wants to argue that_. What Hisao said could be the truth, that it's nothing but just some paranoia of a person.

"Fine, _he's a scummy one_, so what?" Higura snapped. "That still doesn't help us-"

"_Hold on_....." I stopped the designer from finishing his sentence. "_**Hold on**_...... Sao-chin.... _you don't think_....?"

"Aha!! Little miss devil finally got the point!!" Hisao clapped his hands. "Bravo!! Were you impressed by my villain role?! I've practice plenty of times to be more believable this time!! Please shower me with praises after this!! Everyone else is too cruel to not do so!!"

_Ahhh.... I'm the one being screwed around here. Finally piecing everything together for this unmotivated case_. "Monomyou, correct me if I'm wrong but....." I stared at the grinning cat in their throne. "_**Is the**_ _**'mystery of the fake player' the actual motive for this case?**_"

"_Nyahahahaha!!! **You've got that right!!**_" Monomyou laughed. "That play thing was just an act!!! Nyahaha! Get it!? _The script itself was a distraction from_ _**the real motive given to two of your people!!!**_ Ackh-!!_ I made a mistake-!!!_"

"_What was that!?_" I gripped onto the podium and, to everyone's surprise, Hisao was also taken back by that slip of tongue. _So, he doesn't know about that as well? I guess he doesn't really know about everything. There's another one who knew about the flake player....._

"So it was a lie!?" Mitsuru shrieked. "That whole script play was just to distract from the real motives!? _Like our secret motives last time!?_"

"The real motive for this case isn't _**a time limit motive**_......" Nao gasped. "But _**it's the secret identity motive**_..... _A motive that prompted someone to take action against this supposed fake player_......"

"And so the fake curtains fall at last!!" Hisao announced out loud, as if he didn't break character just now. "That's right! That's what I mean by_ gullible_, you know, dear little miss devil!!! _You keep looking at the surface level but never go beyond it!!!_"

_This motive_. _Is that why Amane brought up my skepticism in the first place? _When I didn't even think twice about this idea of a play suddenly appearing out of nowhere? Now that I think it like that, _I'm really that stupid for believing so much in it_. It turns out Amane was just....

_'No.... Amane still acted on his own by murdering someone else....thinking that's the answer.....' That_, there's no way I'm going to applaud his awareness _just like that_. He's just as clueless as everyone else was at the start. If he was so serious about finding this fake player, _he could have went to us first_.... _Hisao and I would have helped him_.

"_Sao-chin_... so this is what you mean the culprit planned this way before we even thought about doing the play...." I sighed, _these revelations starts to really weighing me down_. "Amane went his way and tried to find the fake player by himself and while everyone's distracted by the script play that Monomyou proposed..... he interrogate those people who remembered the mysterious lucky student who, by chance, have part of their past memories...." _Shit, is that why he wasn't convinced that Monomyou would even return our memories after the play? It's because we have others who actually did...._

"Well then, dear little miss devil....." Hisao pointed right at me. "_Who do you really think is Macchan's killer now that we know the true motive for this case?_"

_'The killer for Macchan's case could only be the person who received such ominous motive.... which is......'_

..........................

....................

..._**A blind kill**_, a first for this case. _But is that really true? Would Amane.... really go that far...?_ _Wait a second-!!!_

"_If Amane's the killer._..." I looked back at the Monomyou. "Hey, if the blackened who killed Machi is already dead....._ then who on earth are you going to punished then....?_"

"Ah...! _That's the fun part of this case!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "Find your appropriate substitute!!! I mean, this is one-in-a-million of chances, ya'know!! _Your beloved, cute host have given you a chance to substitute the deceased blackened this time!!_ _Take your pick, you bastards!!!_"

"We can....... nominate someone to be punished.....?" Hiroshi's eyes widened. "No way!! There's no way we're gonna do that!!"

"_**Of course, we're gonna do that**_....." I remarked sharply. "_Because we're gonna nominate** the second blackened** to take the fall_. Now that we knew what happened with Macchan's case,_ Amane's case became more clearer right now_....."

"Umm.... you said that but...." Mitsuru doesn't look to convinced. "What about when Macchan.... _fell along with the stage light_....? _That's one mystery that I don't really get here_......"

"I feel like that one answered itself...." Higura initiate his thinking pose. "I mean, think about it, you've already killed one person _so why not do the job and finished off the rest?_"

"That's too absurd!!" Hibiki fights back. "_Amane won't do such a suicidal move!!!_"

"Well, when you're paranoid,_ it does makes sense_....." Hisao rested his chin on top of his hand. "I mean,_ I'm not ruling out any possibilities_, like what little miss devil always do!!_ That's her signature catchphrase after all!!_"

"_I don't have such catchphrase_...." It sounds too absurd but_ if given the choice_..... _wait, then what's that weird melody thing that I've heard?_ Why did Amane composed that piece at _**that exact timing**?_ At the exact moment, _**Macchan fell**_. _As if it's scripted_-

......

_I see, so it's like that....._

"Anyways!! Let us discuss why did our beloved librarian fell from the heavens above, shall we!?" Hisao announced.

_I need to think about it more later. We have this mystery solve first!_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"The_** culprit placed the body above the stage lights!!**_" Hisao started. "The weight of the body adds on and the stage lights immediately gave way!!"

"Those things are sturdy...." Hiroshi rebutted. "_**There's no way they're going to break off that easily**_....."

"_Maybe they're just old and rusty_...?" Mitsuru remarked. "I mean, that alone can break them, right?"

"Everything in that place looks brand new so impossible...." Higura added. "The culprit probably_ tampered with the safety locks on it or something_...."

"Are they that easy to removed....?" Shoma asked. "That's quite a feat... even for a critter....!"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Higura's on the right track...." I smiled at him, as he puffed his chest out. "During Taiga and Hiroshi's inspection, they found _**loose screws**_ right above the stage.... and from where they're inspecting, there's also _**a toolbox**_ that the culprit used..... so no doubt, _the culprit was planning to drop the stage light above the unsuspecting actors in the first place_....."

"I know Amane is arrogant but _sheesh_....." Hiroshi scratched the back of his neck. "_Willingly to throw away lives to try and get rid of a single person is just way too much!! _That's like borderline maniac right there....."

Hibiki twitched, looking down at her feet when she heard that. Even though it's_ almost evident_ that Amane's the killer, she doesn't feel like it's right yet she's too scared to object, _to fight back_. Almost like how Higura doesn't want to reveal that he's working for the Saku in the last trial.

.....

_Well, Hisao, it's my turn to overturn this trial. Amane just gave me a clue without even being here....._

"Actually, I have another possible theory. _**What if we're wrong? What if Amane wasn't the one who deliver the blow**_....." I proposed, and then everyone turned to me, including Hisao, bewildered. _Got you now_. "I would like for everyone to remember to content of the note sent to Macchan..... it specifically said _they wanted to discuss about the script they got_.... _**that doesn't make sense if Macchan and Amane actually talked about it prior to theater play when everyone's around**_...."

"..... That's.... _a good point_...." Taiga realized that biggest contradiction. "If they actually talked about it prior to the play, like how Amane went to Hibiki and I yesterday...... _there's no reason why Macchan even want to go and see Amane at the backstage to begin with....."_

"If we went ahead with_ Amane's sudden blind kill plan_, then he would have planned everything ahead...." I explained. "But according to_** Nao's ****account**_, he might have received that note _last night_, and Amane has been holed up in his room from this morning till evening..... _is that even enough time to prepare the things he needed?_" _A bit of a **lie**, but if everyone's convinced by it, then it will become the **truth **at the end_.

"R-Right... he looked really worried last night...." Nao said her side of the story. "He even brushed me off as if _he doesn't want me to know about his problem_. Then, this morning, he was fine, like he wasn't really down or anything....."

"Little miss...._ what are you trying to say here_...?" Huh, this is the first time I got him to ask me that._ That's an accomplishment_.

"Amane's wary of everyone..... but I don't think he wanted to resort into killing either, _and that's what I'm sure of it now_....." I said. ".... _And I think **he's being an accomplice to the actual blackened**, **who also have that secret identity motive**_....."

"Ohohoho!! _Another accomplice plot!!_" Monomyou laughed. "Man, you guys are being too buddy-buddy with killers nowadays!! Must have been a really wild relationship you guys have!!!"

"That's the only the thing that makes sense in the whole skim-"

( _**ARGUED: Mafuyu Hisao**_ \- _"I will slit your throat off!!"_ \- )

* * *

"That's some _shot-in-the-dark_ theory you're presenting there, little miss!!!" Hisao cuts in. "But I'm gonna have to stop you there!!"

"If you're gonna present your argument then present it seriously...." I said, folding my arms together. "Otherwise, you won't be able to convince me to change my mind,_ which is bad considering your own Ultimate talent_...."

"Cheeky jab!! But alright, I'm gonna go all out!!!" Hisao started. "Saying that Amane having an accomplice in this case is_ too far-fetched_, ya' know!! _This can only be done by Amane himself, there's no way he would be working for someone else to carry out this plan!!_"

"It's not far-fetched,_ it's still a possibility_....." I argued. "If he was just an accomplice,_ it would explained how he would easily disposed of the body and clean up everything before anyone else witness them_...."

"Come on, it's not that hard to clean up after yourself!!" Hisao snorted. "You only have to wiped them off and deal with the body afterwards!! _**There's no way there's any evidence that the culprit was helping in the midst of that!**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"Sao-chin.... do you remember _**the note that Renma had with him**?_" I asked the conman. "_Do you remember what is said and what it looked like_....?"

"The note..... _**the note that mentioned about that highly corrosive chemical in the mortuary**_, right....?" Hisao raised a brow, before hitting himself in the head. "Gah-!! Of course!! _How the hell did I not figure that out!?_"

"It seems you're finally the one who's being slow in this case...." I chuckled, as I pulled out two different notes I got from different locations. "These are the two notes relating to this incident. Both of them have different writing styles, and_ the second note is more so too specific for Amane to even write_....."

"I recognized the note that you found on Macchan to be written by him but the other one.... _I don't really recognized it_...." Hibiki mentioned.

"I thought of that note as the culprit just reminding themselves....." Renma explained. "Now, with that accomplice theory, _**it's more of an instruction sent by the real culprit for Amane**_......"

"So the penguin critter didn't really committed suicide in the end......" Shoma sighed in relief. "Thank goodness.... _my heart is elevated now_....!"

"They..... _still died though_....." Mitsuru cowered back. "But... Sumi.... why do you believe that Amane isn't the killer for Macchan's case...._ he's the only one who met with him face-to-face_...."

_This will take too long to explain so I have to cut it short_. "I-I'm not sure if I can explain it well enough but _Amane and I both have knowledge in__ **musical cryptogram**_. It's part of my job and also Amane's specialty. It's when different notes in the music itself translated into letters by people who are familiar with it..... When the music that Amane composed played, _I began to noticed how jarring the notes were played_...."

"I thought that's just the haunting experience for the play...." said Hiroshi.

"It's not like that.... it turns out Amane was playing out certain notes**_ to warn us_**....." I shouldn't underestimate his skills, honestly, _dropping a secret message in his own work and made Monomyou to play it out without even noticing?_ That's insane. "And he wouldn't go as far as to do that _if he was the actual blackened of this case_. _It sounds like he's crying for help to me_....."

"Nyaaaagh!_? I unexpectedly helped in this case!?_" Monmyou jumped in their seat. "I've been tricked!! I've been deceived!! _Although I was really sure there's nothing wrong with the reprise version that person gave me to yesterday_, I was still fooled by this cunning composer,_ how terrible yet brilliant!_!" _So Amane actually reworked the piece once he worked along with the culprit? That really shows how much he's not on board with the plan either._

"_Like a true spy on a mission!!!_" Mitsuru gleamed with excitement. "Ah!! That's why you went on stage all of the sudden, right? _It's because you heard that_....."

"Shit... _that's so fucking extra_....." Higura grumbled. "But considering our _**Ultimate **talents_, I get how and why he's daring enough to do it!! Alright, I'm really convinced!! Not gonna lie, I wasn't on board from the beginning, saying that stuck-up composer being the actual blackened in this one!!"

"So Amane... _was just another victim who fell into the culprit's trap_....." Hibiki looked a bit glad. Glad to think that Amane isn't the far gone and would end someone's life without a reason. Hisao didn't look too different, expressionless still but I know deep down, _he's actually impressed that Amane and I did what he told us to do, using such a dodgy technique in that kind of situation. _

"There's also a lot of things that I couldn't even figure out... _if Amane's the only one behind this case_....." I added. "_How would he easily caught Machi off-guard, managed to kept him quiet and somehow everyone stage didn't even noticed a single thing happening backstage_. Amane even suffered these mysterious injuries and broken bones when it was already mentioned he died from poisoning. And there's still a lot of clues inside the room that Amane died in when Hibiki, Shou-chin and I first inspected!"

_"T__he culprit tried to get rid of him who witnessed the whole thing_. _That's why I can't believe so blindly that Amane wouldn't be the culprit for Macchan's case_....."

"I see.... now that we got the full picture.... it does feel... incomplete...." Renma remarked. "Very well then, we will follow along your logic, Sumi. _We will believe Amane's innocence in this one_...."

"Ahhhh, I got totally beaten down heavily by little miss devil!!" Hisao sighed. "How shameful, I lost my winning streak!! But this case got a lot more interesting so I wanna join the fun as well!!"

"Nyahahaha.....!" Monomyou laughed, catching everyone's attention. "You sound reaaaally confident with yourself, miss devil!! Don't forget!! If your own theory is wrong then everyone here will be severely punished!!!"

_'Of course, I knew that..... I just don't believe that Amane would do something outrageous as this.....'_ I studied everyone's face carefully. _'Amane wouldn't want to endanger everyone's lives.... even if it's only for Hibiki, he wouldn't go that far. If he did, then there's no way to explain those clues we found in that dressing room...... there has to be another blackened in this case.....** the blackened who also received that secret identity motive**....'_

_ **[ Class Trial - INTERMISSION- ]** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACTS ]  
Even though I didn't specify their age; here's the list of who's younger or oldest according to their birth-date (they're still around high-school age);
> 
> [ Youngest ] Sumire, Hisao, Mitsuru, Saku, Nao (skipped a year), Kiharu, Machi  
[ Oldest ] Renma (held back a year), Hinako, Higura, Shoma, Hibiki, Amane, Taiga, Homare, Hiroshi


	20. Chapter III: A Heavenly Dramaturgy: Deadly Life - Trial II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to solve the other part of the mystery that ends with unsatisfactory results.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -sips herbal tea-  
Pain has just started, yo

[ **_Class Trial - RESUMED -_** ]

"_Nyahahaha!!_ So our dear actors has finally cleared up the mystery behind this case's motive; _**the secret identity of the fake player!!**_" Monomyou started. "Where could this motive will lead them through?! _Will it truly lead to the **actual blackened of this trial**!?_ This exciting development will surely send our darling actors into the edge of the world with these twists and chills!!_ Now then, we shall see who the devil will take as their next victim for tonight!!_"

"I shall go over the details of the case to keep a coherent timeline...." Hibiki gladly explained. "Amane received _**the secret identity motive**_ as long as the other culprit in this case. However, _due to his suspicion and high distrust in not only Monomyou but everyone else instead_, he decided that he would act on his own. He talked to the_** two likely people who have unclear memories**_ but with no luck. And so, _his last hope is on Machi_...."

"Somewhere along the line...." Mitsuru continued. "He conspired with the culprit,_ who also have the motive_, to lure Machi to the backstage. But since the culprit themselves don't want any witnesses..... _they have to get rid of Amane as well_......."

"That summed up_ way too short_ but_ less confusing at least_....." Higura looked more irritated as he thinks about it more. Can't blame him, _we've already gotten this far and it's still a mess_. "What I wanted to know is that Amane is a willing accomplice or not?_ I really don't want any sudden flashbacks from the previous event_...."

"We unfortunately wouldn't know about that for a fact coming from a personal account....." said Renma, fidgeting and playing with the split ends of his hair. "But it's safe to say Amane wouldn't let the culprit get away with his crime using his unusual way to disposed of the body....."

"Machi's body did dropped in a rather odd timing..... _even when it's in tuned with the musical cryptography part_....." Taiga pointed out the odd sequence. "Like... _did he actually planned that_....?"

"_He probably did_...." I replied. "When investigation near the site.... Mitsuru and Higura discovered_** a broken metal panel and another loose screw**_ nearby..... _meaning he purposely loosened one screw and waited till the panel just gave away_. When no one's paying attention, Machi and Amane probably left the audience seat _at the same time_, _just before that hidden notes part coming up as well_...."

"T-That's so risky!!" exclaimed Nao. "E-Even if with that.... there's no way he would be so sure that it will immediately fall along with his composed piece!!"

"Well, he could either be the mysterious lucky student or he just have a really good intuition on how long with that thing last before it fell to the ground...." Hisao twirled around his pocket knife in his hand. "But whatever it is, it has done well in his favour!! _But now come with the question, who did he conspired with?_"

"We don't know who would that other person be, huh....." Hiroshi looked down on his feet. "W-We were sort of lucky that Hisao saw those papers.... but since _we only know he has it_....."

"Let us critters not dwell too much into their identity...." Shoma suggested. "Instead,_ we figured out the penguin critter's death and the dressing room itself_.... surely from there on.... _the identity of the culprit will become more clearer_......"

"I agree with what Shou-chin said. If we uncovered all the mysteries inside of that dressing room...." _And probably find out the culprit's reasoning to why they discarded the evidences so sloppily._ ".. then we might eliminate some suspects off......"

"The _**cause of death**_ is _**ingestion of something that caused internal bleeding**_, right...?" Mitsuru brought up the line stated on the record file. "So it's safe to say he was tricked into getting poisoned by the culprit!!"

"Negative, there's no water bottles or anything that can be used to hold poison in......" Renma refuted. "_It could have been something more of a solid matter_....."

_'The thing that killed Amane... was something that's really dangerous that we've discovered near the crime scene...."_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"It doesn't have to be poison...." Hiroshi added. "You could _swallow like shards of glass_ and that would do the trick...."

"Why the hell would that fucker swallow them in the first place?!" Higura yelled.

"_**So it is poison**_...?" Taiga brought it back. "I mean... that's more possible..."

"_**Poison is a slow reactive**_...." Shoma pointed out. "... The critter _drank down something... that destroy its insides immediately_....."

"I-Is there such thing...?" Nao questioned.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"When I investigate the wardrobe inside the dressing room...." I carefully and try not to flail my gloved hand around too close to my face. "I found this _**embalming chemical**_ hiding in there....."

"Ah, right... the critter almost forgot about that....!" Shoma clapped his hand together. "The chemical is _highly corrosive_...... _ingesting small amount can vaporise your entire organs without a problem_...."

"If it's that reactive then it would just take matter of seconds to kill a person. That's our murder weapon of choice, alright...." Mitsuru added her own insight. "But how did it even get to his mouth though? Even though he loves to blabber about,_ I doubt he's willing to open up just like that_....."

"You....._ might wanna rephrase that a bit more better_...." Taiga looked at her awkwardly with a side glance, with Mitsuru staring back in confusion. "Well, Sumi and Shoma said he suffered from injuries, right? The culprit must have struggled a lot to get him to drink that chemical...."

"As I discussed this problem with those two before......" Hibiki added in. "If there's a struggle then _there would chemical burns or taint on the culprit themselves_..... but as everyone went out of the theatre house, _**everyone was clean**_. The chemical even have a strong smell that could filled the room yet there's none when we're at the outdoors....."

_'How did the culprit managed to get Amane to drink the chemical....? Is there a way to even administer it without injuring oneself....?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"There has to be a struggle going on....." said Taiga. "... and _the culprit must have suffered a few burns_....."

"But_** all of us turned out clean after we left the theatre house!**_" Mitsuru rebutted.

"What if _they washed the chemical off of them_...?" Hiroshi asked,

"There's_** no shower room and water bottles inside that place**_, it's impossible..." Higura replied.

"If _they immobilised their victim_...." Hisao suggested. ".... then it would make things easier for them......."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Like what Hisao said, **_the culprit stopped Amane by breaking his ankles so he wouldn't run or even fight back_**....." I tried to recall the moment Shoma twisted his legs in a very odd angle. "And if the culprit's fast enough... _they could administer the chemical just at that moment_....."

"You can use your arms when defending yourself but if you have no experience in self-defence or,_ just have lack of strength or exercise_....." Taiga explained. "Then, you will be easily overpowered by the culprit....."

"If you kept someone hands really secured, it made the job much easier to torture someone,_ from personal experience!_" Hisao said with a cheerful tone. "It still, however, _doesn't explain the lack of stains!!_ I couldn't imagine the culprit down the whole bottle of poison without spilling. Amane could at least try to shake them off!"

_'The reason why there's no mess or anything on the floor... was because...'_

_..............._

_..........._

"From what Shou-chin discovered, he scraped the corner of Amane's mouth using his scalpel and found these weird _**white-jelly substances**_ sticking to it...." I glanced over to the medium. "Ren-chin, may I know more about this... _adhesive_ you used for your mortuary....?"

"I haven't fully used them to the fullest since _they're Monomyou's creation_ but_ they're multi-purpose material_....." Renma explained. "In fact, you can used them so far as_** preservatives for organs and freshly-cut off limbs**_-"

"Eek!!" Hibiki paled and let out a squeal.

"S-Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, _slipped of habit_....." the medium cleared off his throat. "A-Anyways..... they_** can also worked as glue**_ or some kind of_** casing that could hold any material in it**_. But the downside is that they **_can easily melt when exposed to heat or in any environment that has high moisture_**......"

"What the...... that's like..... _super ridiculously fictitious!!!_" Mitsuru's mouth was wide open at that revelations. "With those kind properties, they might as well be made for like a bomb or something!!_ There's no way they're that functional!!_"

"Are you insulting my work!?" Monomyou showed of their claws to the lilac-haired girl, slowly cowering in her podium. "How dare you!! I work my ass off for those things!!"

As ridiculous it is, the description of the said adhesive does fit the thing I'm looking for. "You said it can work like _**some sort of casing**_, right...?" It's worth of shot. "_What if it's used like **a casing for the chemical**?_"

"T-That...." Renma struggled to find an answer and his shoulders slumped. "I-I unfortunately haven't test if the adhesive would be that reactive towards such corrosive chemicals-"

"_They won't!!_" Monomyou shrieked. "How dare you look down on my creation!! I won't forgive you all!! They're high-quality materials made by yours truly!! _They defy all properties existed on earth_!!!"

"All_** except for heat**_, huh? Well,_ endlessly hearing a lot of bullcrap coming from you just made me no choice but accept its existence_...." Mitsuru sighed. "Besides, if it's like that, it seems like it's a more possible choice....."

"_Oh shit_, this is the first time I heard you swear!!" Hiroshi gasped. "B-But... if it's like inside of a casing.... there's no way Amane would just...._ swallow it like that_....."

"_Wow, this trial really wants us to make inappropriate innuendos without fucking mercy_....." Higura's eye twitched in annoyance. "And I say this without fucking meaning it, _but ya' really can't force-feed someone if it's like that either_...."

_'There should be evidence left by the culprit about it... the only way they can make Amane swallow- Yikes, Mochi is right, that sounds really wrong...'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Ingesting a solid object isn't that easy...." Nao stated. "_It would have make sense if it's just in liquid form!_"

"But _**there will be a mess**_, remember?" Taiga pointed out. "If anything, the solid casing theory made a lot of sense...."

"The solid casing can withhold anything, especially corrosive materials...." Mitsuru pondered. "_That's sound like a lie, isn't...?_"

"That furfuck has higher ego than the fucking Enterprise itself, there's no way they would lie about it!!" Higura yelled.

"It's possible that _**Amane willingly take it in**_...." said Renma. "As a final act of suicide as he surrendered easily, perhaps?"

"_**Without taking a hit**_....?" Hiroshi questioned.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No, Amane did suffered another injury....." I refuted. "There's a _bruise right on his neck. _The culprit must have done that when _**they placed that casing thing inside his mouth**_....."

"If they aim for the throat, there's no doubt, Amane would have to involuntarily swallow it...." Hisao's brows furrowed, as he muttered_ 'Wait a second'_ and into a deep thinking process. He must have been close to figuring out the answer we needed, but we will have to play his game to get it.

"Just like what Sao-chin said, the culprit aimed for the throat so that the casing would go down easily-"

( _**ARGUED: Ishimoto Nao**_ \- _"I will challenge your words!!"_ \- )

* * *

"T-That's still not enough!!" Nao stammered.

"W-What is not enough...?" I took a step back confused. "It's logical, isn't...?"

"No, I can't accept that!! There's too many holes in that logic!!" the ghostwriter fights back. "There's no way the culprit could think that would be enough to kill Amane!!"

"C-Calm down, Nao...." _What's wrong with her? Why is she more worked up about this more than Macchan's case...? That shouldn't scare me off, I better hear her arguments for carefully!!_

"Even aiming for the throat would lead to no good results!!" Nao refuted. "There's no way he would just involuntarily swallowed!! _He could have accidentally spit it out and it would just be useless to try it again!!_"

"_But it work_, didn't it?" I answered. "The chemical did found its way into his system and don't forget, the _casing will dissolve once exposed to heat or high moisture_. There's a possibility that it just did that while _it's trapped inside his mouth or throat_..."

"E-even if you said that..." Nao continued. "_**How would the culprit even placed that thing securely inside!?**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"I think that answer lies on _**another tape I found**_... but this time, it was in _Amane's hand_...." I explained cautiously, still reeling from the ghostwriter's sudden outburst. "The tape that he has have that similar white jelly thing all over it.... _**and I think culprit used it to tape the casing onto it as they put it over his mouth**_...."

"So even if he struggled, it wouldn't just.... fall off.....?" Nao trailed off. "I-I see... _my mistake_....."

"No worries, Nao!!" Hisao called out. "Everyone's still iffy about this case!! Now then, little miss devil, since my head is now cleared up!! I wanna ask you this!! What did the culprit used to hit the composer like there's no tomorrow!!"

_'Why do you sound so happy when saying that..?'_ "_**The crowbar **_that I also found in the wardrobe....." I brought it up nonetheless. "The culprit must have gotten from _**the toolbox**_ upstairs......"_ Hold on. There's something clearly wrong here._

"The wardrobe fame as well at the dressing door frame were covered with something that prevents us from entering in there....." Hibiki muttered. "Sumi mentioned it's **_the white jelly stuff _**similar to what's on Amane's mouth. I've never noticed that before the play even started...."

"Which means, the culprit must have _**applied them during the play since said material will immediately harden when in cool **_**_environment_**. Indeed, the culprit must have sneaked into my mortuary and steal my materials while I was busy with something else...." Renma sighed. "_How careless I am today_....."

_It has to be today. The culprit must have taken everything they needed from the mortuary today. But the only people who doesn't have alibi for today morning is_.... "_**Amane**_....... everyone has alibi during early morning but _Amane stayed in his room since this morning_......" my hand shook a bit. "But how did he get into the mortuary if it's sealed shut....?"

"W-Wait, all those chemicals thing and jelly stuffs were taken by him!?" Hiroshi's voice peaked. "But they were used in his murder instead!!"

"_**The note about the chemical**_ supported that accomplice theory....." mentioned Renma. "I lost my lighter this morning so it must have been stolen by the said culprit and gave it to him as he break into my mortuary..... _we wouldn't know that if he didn't left that note behind_...."

"But... that means.... there has to be someone who doesn't have an alibi.... this afternoon...." I bit my lower lips anxiously. "But everyone was together the entire time!! _Except for Amane_....."

"Sumi..... there's a way...." Shoma spoke up. "There's a way to find who's the culprit in this case no worries, _this critter here just want you to remember **that actors' positions**_....."

"Huh...? Why the hell does that matter?" Higura clicked his tongue. "All of you didn't even witness a single shit when the murder is happening!!"

_'No, wait, Shoma is right. And the reason why he even brought that up was because....'_

..........................

............

"_**The culprit has to be one of the actors**_....." I answered. "Our positions mattered becaus_e we were never always at the backstage_ and _the culprit must timed well enough who's out there performing and who's not to go undetected._.... and they might also _take advantage of **the loud speakers** that played Amane's carefully composed song to cover up their ruckus_......."

"So we can singled _Hibiki, Hisao_ and _Sumi _out......" Shoma pointed out. "_Hibiki and Hisao are the leads_, they were on the stage for long enough so they couldn't have murder Amane..... Sumi was on the other side of the stage... that wouldn't give her enough time to murder someone and immediately run over to the other side of the stage for her devilish entrance. So what's left of the critters are **_Nao_**, _**Hiroshi**_ and _**Taiga**_...."

"Whoa there!!" Mitsuru halted the biologist. "Y-You shouldn't accused people like that!!"

"It's merely a suggestion, you idiot....." Higura sighed. "But yeah, I kinda agreed, _these three are highly suspicious for not noticing something's going on_....."

"Perhaps not Nao....." Hibiki gulped down her nervousness. "Nao was with me the whole time so there's no way she would do that....."

"_But was she waiting by the curtains when your part is up?_" Hisao questioned. "I don't think so!! Maybe everyone else didn't noticed she might have gone to another place!!"

"H-Hey, stop pining the blame on other people!!" Hiroshi yelled. "You guys are wrong!!! There's no way the three of us would do something like this!! We stand aside for, like, the entire play!!"

"That's right!!" Taiga and Nao said in unison.

"_**We're not the culprits!!!**_"_ Nao, Hiroshi and Taiga_ said in unison.

_'This again.... they will try and prove their innocence.... and I just have to find any contradiction in their statements....' _I tapped my fingers against the podium. _'But these three? Seriously...? As much as I don't want to.... there's no use playing favorites here.....'_

* * *

**( Mass Panic Debate )**

"I would never kill Amane!!" Nao screamed. "I _**didn't even know he went to the backstage at first!!**_"

"You say that but how should we know that_ it isn't a lie?_" Higura asked. _**"Can you prove that?**_"

"How else can I prove it....? I was waiting besides the stage all the time!!" Nao stammered. "There's no way I would planned this!! _**I have never seen Amane for these past few days!!**_"

"Ohhh, you got some ballsy moves there, Nao!!" Hisao snickered.

"W-What does that supposed to mean?" Mitsuru looked confused.

* * *

"_**I was waiting the right side of the stage this entire time!!!**_" Hiroshi confessed. "I immediately _went back to that side after my part is done!!_"

"But _**you only appeared once**_...." Hibiki mentioned. "And _you would still have enough time to murder someone while Sumi's out_...."

"I wouldn't do that!! I _**don't even have that secret identity motive**_ to begin with!!" Hiroshi replied.

* * *

"**_T_**-_**There's no way I would help Amane to murder someone!!**_" Taiga defended himself. "I'm not that kind of person!!"

"Knowing your history of violence...." Renma calmly pointed out. "_**We can't really ruled it out**_...."

"_**You three have only appeared once**_....." Shoma stated. "So we, critters, have right to suspect you three......"

"That's still blindly accusing someone who doesn't know anything!!" Taiga yelled.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Nao... _**you lied**_...." I clenched my fist. "_**You did see him yesterday**_, with Hisao even to check the script he has...... in fact, _**it's only you who met with Macchan and Amane yesterday before they got murdered**_....."

Nao yelped, ducking her head down as she covered her face with her arms, "I didn't do it!! I wouldn't kill those two!! I swear!!!"

"Nao...." _I don't want to admit it. I seriously, really, don't want to say it_. "_**How much did you lie?**_ When you met with Macchan, _**is that part a lie as well? **_Was it you who actually gave _**that note**_ to him...? _About Amane and the script...?_"

"Well, well, well, _it looks like the defenseless is actually the attacker_, huh!" Hisao grinned. "Nao, how could you forget! I was with you last night!! You even have that chance to talk with Amane and Macchan while I was out of your earshot!! And- _Hmm_... what was the specialty of the great _**Ultimate Ghostwriter**_...? _Oh! **They can copied other people writing style**_...."

_Forgery._

_Nao forged the note that she gave to Machi._

"Nao.... if it really isn't you... _then please say something back_....." I begged. At this point, I'm just begging. I can't lie to myself saying that I shouldn't feel bad for the culprit._ I can't overwrite my feelings and the bond I shared with Nao_, "Please refute back what Hisao and I are saying... _say that you're not the culprit_..."

"I-I'm not the culprit...." Nao just breaks down at this point. "I'm not!! I'm seriously not the culprit!!!"

"S-Sumi.... please think about this more!!" Mitsuru called out. "There's no way Nao would planned something as cruel at this!!"

"Unfortunately.... _I can fucking see how she would have a hand in this_...." Higura, himself, tries to hold back. "If there's any way for that bookworm idiot to even willingly visit Amane.... is _**that they would be convinced by a closest friend**_...."

"Nao's alibi is only with Machi during afternoon... right....?" Hiroshi rubbed his other hand, avoiding eye contact. "That..... _should be enough time to visit Amane to carry out the plan_...... and Nao was also present during the morning to be able to-"

"I.... " Renma's almost speechless. "... hardly want to believe it... but... _**Ishimoto Nao, are you really the culprit of this case**_....?"

"No, I'm not!!" Nao wailed. "_**I'm not!! I'm not!!! I'm not!!!**_"

"Oh, _**shut your mouth, you damn brat**_...." Hisao gritted his teeth, his dark expression from previous trials is back. "Is this how you will act right now when proven guilty? _**Being an insufferable little brat**?_ _Hah, you must be such a spoiled little princess in the past if that's the case_...."

"Sao, _now's not the-_"

"Ah geez,_ I wonder how many people got fooled by your cuteness?_" Hisao asked, menacingly. "I wonder how many lies you managed to tell? _Do you honestly think your cute, shy and anxiety facade is enough to carry you out of here?_ _**You know I can tell a liar just from their acting**_...."

"H-Hey!!" Mitsuru pointed at the conman. "_L-Leave your judgmental thoughts out of this tria-!_"

"_**Huh**_... _**so you really saw right through me**_....."

_'What!?'_ Everyone stared in shock as Nao removed her arms from her face. Tears still streaming down, _crocodile tears_. While her face was still flushed from crying, her face is still void of expression, "I'm sad..._ I'm really, really sad_.... I can't even fool the master deception himself....."

"Ah well, you're just a terrible actor, that's all...." Hisao said, nonchalantly. "But then again, _**I hate cute brats like you**_, and I will never see you as anything but a human being so it's easier for me to suspect you....."

"Ehehe!" Nao giggled. "How unfortunate!! So that's why you don't trust me that much!! What a shame!! We could have been great working together, you know!"

"What the hell!?" Higura stepped backwards. "Is this bitch really alright!? She's acting really out of her head right now!!!"

"N-No... she almost feel so.... _superficial_...?" Mitsuru replied with a stunned face. "Like... _she's not even real_...... _it's_ _like she's a doll or something_...?"

"A doll? Why, _I've been called like that before_, thank you for reminding me!" Nao bowed down elegantly. "I got really tired acting so weak that it's embarrassing. So embarrassing that I wanted to kill myself. But I can't really! I want to complete my task for_** my dearest **_before I could truly passed on!!"

"D-Dearest...?" Hibiki and Hiroshi doesn't look like they wanted to hear the context behind that word, with her attitude like this.

"So unfortunately, Sumire, I must deny your claim!!" Nao smiled sweetly, with her posture straight and hands folded on her chest. "_I must deny your claim of myself being the culprit for this trial!!_"

_'What the fuck's going on...?'_ I can't even think carefully with these sudden turn of events? Has Nao been lying to us all since the beginning...? _The shy exterior was just a fake_....?

"_A fake knows its people_...." Shoma's the only one who doesn't look too affected by this. "Nao, if there's still a bit of sense inside of that head, if we, critters, be able to convince you to admit to the case.... will you finally give in and abandon that task you said were given....?"

"Ahhh, let's see here...." Nao acted so flimsy and cartoonish, clapping her two hands together as she decided. "Yup! I can step down if you could convince me!! After all, I think I did my part really well this time!!"

"Fine then, this is payback for making me hear your sickening sweet voice every single day...." Hisao stepped in. "Little miss, if you're still feeling uncomfortable from this thing being an eyesore, that _you can stay back and watch me disintegrate this brat_...."

"_**No**_...." I glared at him. "There's no need for that._** I want to do this as much as you do now**_. And I'm not gonna plan to back down now..._ just because we're close_. _**I wanna hear her confession, loud and clear**_....."

"I warn you! It's gonna be reaaal tricky to convinced me!!!" Nao twirled around in excitement. "Now then, let us have our heated debate on a go-go!!"

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Seriously, how else can we make you admit...?" Hisao asked, annoyed. "_We've been through a lot of clues that are clearly pointing towards you_..."

"Oh? Is that so...?" Nao tilted her head sideways. "_**Was the note really sufficient enough?**_"

"**_Was my meeting with Amane and Machi really is what you guys think?_**"

"_**Was my role really that flexible?**_"

_ **"Was my absence behind the curtains really put you guys on the edge?"** _

_ **"Or did I really go anywhere else at all?"** _

"You guys really need to think about it carefully!!" Nao smiled. "If all of you don't want to die!!"

"Little miss, you might need to point out **_her mistake_**...." said Hisao. "This brat can blabber all she wants and likes, it wouldn't matter to her...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Nao.... _why would you talk about your **absence** during the play_.... _**as if you weren't behind the curtains at all**_....?" I asked without hesitation. "If you were really watching the whole play without looking away, then please describe the whole scene when _Faust and Gretchen met for the first time_...."

The ghostwriter gone quiet, really quiet. Then, "Aww, I got caught! Such a shame!! I had so much fun with this trial as well!! It was exciting to see you all solving my own mystery!! It would have been the making for a really exciting three-part novel if I wasn't figured out so early!!"

_Figured out_. This time, it wasn't due to Hisao's suggestion, _it was thanks to Shoma_. If Shoma didn't brought up our positions during the play, I wouldn't have guessed correctly. But.... _am I even glad to be right this time?_

"Sumire, it's time for you to go over the case, right?" Nao asked innocently. "It's okay!! I will tell everything that everyone wants to hear after the voting time!! It's a fair trade after all!! I made you guys go through my case, I will tell all the mysteries that I found!!"

_Saying those words with a face like that_, it's almost like her previous self before going through this drastic changes. But, there's no reason for me to act so selfishly, "Alright then...._ I will go over once_...._ please be patient everyone_...."

* * *

**( Closing Argument )**

"This whole case was set in motion once _**two people received the secret identity motive**_. Amane just made his involvement too obvious to hold suspicion from the other and begin asking people with foggy memories around for some answers. When Hisao and the culprit begin to confront him of such thing, _**the culprit took this chance to work with him **_because they shared the same goal; _**getting rid of the fake player**_."

"The culprit _**forged the note using Amane's handwriting**_ and handed it over to Machi. Even with Machi's distrusting nature, it was thanks to the culprit that the librarian was willing to listen... _who unknowingly fallen into their trap_. This morning, while everyone's busy with their costumes, the culprit managed to _**take the lighter away from Renma when he wasn't paying attention**_. During the afternoon, the culprit gave _**the light and the note about the embalming chemicals to Amane, giving him full access to the mortuary**_."

"Once Amane _**burned off the adhesive off the door frame **_of the mortuary and gotten all the materials the culprit needed, he may or may not accidentally _**left the note that the culprit written for him**_. While this whole thing was happening, the culprit at the theater house have taken _**the crowbar earlier **_before the play started for their _**other plan in mind**_."

"Once the play started,_** Amane and Machi went to the backstage to discuss about the script they said was off**_. Unknowingly, the culprit went behind Machi and struck him from behind using _**the fire extinguisher**_, an _instant blow to his spine_. The culprit suggested getting rid of the body quickly and let Amane do the rest, _**wiping the remaining blood on the floor using a tape **_and _putting back the weapon from its place_. Because they don't want any witnesses, _**they have to get rid of the composer as well**_. "

"Amane's way of getting rid of the body is_ also his way to alert others_. He placed Machi's body on top of one of the_** stage lights**_ and used a tool from the nearby _**toolbox **_to _**unscrew the panel but only left one loose**_, _to perfectly timed with the secret message in his music_. From there on, he immediately left, waiting for his message to be heard...."

"On the other side, the culprit prepared and _**applied the adhesive on the dressing room door frame and the wardrobe**_ when Amane's occupied. As the composer walked in to check on them, the culprit strike them down using the crowbar, aiming for his ankles so that he could escape. _**With the casing and the embalming chemical inside**_, the culprit force-fed it to him_** while taping his mouth shut**_ so that he wouldn't spit it out and for extra measures, _**they used the crowbar and aim for his neck**_ so that he would involuntarily swallowed it."

"The culprit_** hid everything in the wardrobe**_, not realizing_ that the adhesive isn't dry enough to secured the doors tightly_. The _dressing room door's adhesive was dry enough and shut tight. _The culprit left, closing the door behind them, _leaving Amane to writhe in agony without any care_....."

_ **"This is the crime that's been orchestrated by you, Ishimoto Nao, the Ultimate Ghostwriter!!"** _

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

_Heavy_. My whole body feels heavy._ Satisfaction and relief_, those things began to feel foreign to me right now. I can't believe it. _I can't actually believe it. That Nao would do something as cruel as this_. Everyone's silent, _waiting for something_.

"Wowie, such an amazing performance by an unsuspecting extra!!" Monomyou announced. "Well now, ladies and gentlemen!!!_ It's the satisfying conclusion to the trial that you've been waiting for!!** It's Voting Time**!!!_"

The familiar panel popped up from the ground and in front of me, my hand was shaking as I pressed onto Nao's icon. The rest were too hesitant to even press any thing but Nao and Hisao did so without a care in the world. As everyone already cast their votes, the big monitor showing the roulette system appeared, the arrow keeps spinning until it landed on_** Ishimoto Nao**_ as the word _**'GUILTY' **_lightened up brightly to mock us.

"Nyahahaha!! What a spectacular performance, everyone!!!" Monmoyou jumped from its throne to mingle with us. "You've got it right this time!! The _**blackened who killed Yokoda Machi and Sekiguchi Amane**_ is the lovely **_Ishimoto Nao!!!_**"

"Congratulations, everyone!!!" Nao cheered. "You guys won!! As expected!! You guys survived this time!! What an amazing ending!!"

"W-Why are you so happy about this......" Mitsuru hugged her whole body to comfort herself. "You're gonna die.... you killed two people just like that and you still lost....."

"Yup, I know, I was waiting for it!!" Nao answered with a bright smile. "After all, it's too boring for me to go ahead with this killing game and I got sort of tired. So, I took my gamble and murdered the two people whom I'm really closed to!! Machi was a sweetheart and Amane was a really smart partner and client.... _but I have to get rid of them! _Unfortunately, it's only natural to not wanna get caught!!"

"Describing them like they were toys to you....." Higura's face twitched in disgust. "Were you always this heartless? I can't believe I thought of you as remotely decent....."

"_Hey, hey_...." Nao turned her attention towards Shoma. "You promised us critters, right? Telling us what you know...?"

"Ah, I did! I did!!" the ghostwriter twirled around. "Alright, listen up closely because this will be my last important role in this game!! _**Amane and I both received the fake player motive!!**_ Yes, yes, that's true! We both received them which is why we partnered up immediately and without a problem, as we execute our plan. Amane actually planned to only talk to Macchan but he's too smart, you know? If Macchan realized our partnership then he would exposed us... _so I was the one who suggest that we should get rid of him!!_"

"Amane... didn't want to kill him....?" Hibiki's eyes widened. "_It was all your plan....?_"

"It hurts me, you know!!" Nao faked sobbing. "It hurts me so much to kill my closest friend that I could actually die for it!! Feelings asides, Macchan was such an easy kill that I was surprised myself!! But, that's not all!! It took everything in me to convinced Amane to do his part!! And I did mine!! I decided to kill Amane because _he gotten too close to figuring it out!!"_

"_Figure out what_...?" Taiga asked.

"_So that bastard actually figured out who is** the fake player**, huh_....?" Hisao sighed in annoyance. "That fucker... making things harder for everyone else, being a lone wolf. And judging by how you acted after that... _that person must have been_......"

"_**Me**_...." Nao answered without hesitation. "_**I'm the fake player **_that you guys have been wondering!!"

_"What the fuck!? Are you fucking kidding me!?"  
_

_"Y-You're the fake player!?"_

_"You're.... working for the mastermind....?"_

Words of denial ring through my head, I urged myself not to cover my ears from all of this. _This is the answer we needed to hear_, _but not the person whom we wanted to hear from_. "So...._** this dearest**_ of yours....." I asked. "Are you talking about _**the mastermind of this game?**_ _Did you do this for them_...? If you weren't supposed to be here then _why_..... why are you here with us!? Why bother befriending all of us...making us go through all of this.... when you could have easily gotten away!? Are you that much of a sadist!?"

"Oh... that's still a mystery for you guys to solve but I can correct that statement of yours!!" Nao giggles, as her eyes just stared right through my very core. "_**I did all of this for the Ultimate Despair**_....."

_**Ultimate Despair**_.

"I-Impossible.... _they're already dead_......" something cold just run through my body when I heard that. "You saw that list.... they were all dead.... there's nothing left of _**Ultimate Despair**_ or anything! You're just delusional or something.....!"

"The _**Ultimate Despair**_ can't die off that easily, silly!!**_ Despair is_**,_ after all_, _**contagious**_...." said Nao, in an innocent tone yet that crazed gleam in her eyes tells a different story. "No one knows who's inflicted with despair because they act _so normally_, _so pure _that you wouldn't believe it. _This despair is still spreading_.... _**still spreading and you guys didn't noticed**_....."

"_What does that even mean?_" Taiga snapped.

"Aha!! So scary!!!" Nao laughed. "Anyways, that's all I can say!! I told you guys too much already!! Monomyou, it's time for my punishment, isn't?"

"W-Wait!!" Hiroshi stopped them. "T-There's no reason to do this!! You said you were forced to do it, right!!? S-So, you don't have to-!!!"

_ **WHAM!** _

The abseiler staggered a bit, hand clutching at the back of his head, seething with pain. Behind him, the conman looked down with his hand curled up in a tight fist, "_**The Ultimate Despairs and their followers are not human**_, _they have no morals to begin with_. So don't waste your pity on sentient garbage that are easily disposable....."

"Ahaaa, you shouldn't speak so ill of them, Mafuyu Hisao....." Nao chuckles. "Such a shame, you're always so _cold-hearted _towards your friends.... if you have someone you devoted your life to, _you will immediately feel like your life is worth living_, right? You have that wish too, right? Perhaps the both of us are way too similar than we first thought!!"

"_**I should have killed you myself**_....." Hisao glared. "It would be much more fulfilling to me if I was the one who got your head....."

"Ahahaha, unfortunately, you missed that chance!!" the ghostwriter dismissed his rage towards her. "_And now, I can finally die, knowingly I have done my duty spectacularly!!_"

"Alright, enough of the exposition!! My fingers are itching!!" Monomyou interrupted. "Now I prepared a very special punishment for the **_Ultimate Ghostwriter, Ishimoto Nao!!!_** Ladies and gentlemen, strapped yourselves back!! It's the moment you guys have been waiting for!! It's Punishment Time!!!"

"Bye-bye, everyone!!" the ghostwriter waved with a wide smile on her face, a single tear travels down her cheek. "Until next time, let's play together again! _Adieu!_"

Like before the curtain pulled down, a monitor showing Monomyou dragging Nao with them as the letters below spelled out;

**[ ISHIMOTO NAO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY ]**

**[ LET US COMMENCE THEIR PUNISHMENT ]**

* * *

[ **_Ultimate Ghostwriter, Ishimoto Nao's Execution_** ]

[_ Memoirs From The Dead_ ]

Nao's sitting down, smiling as she was writing down something onto the paper parchment with red ink. Then, multiple decaying Mini-myous appeared right from the ground equipped with crossbows and large sharp pen nibs on it, and aimed right at her, shot mostly from the back and at her neck. The last Mini-myou stabbed a fountain through her hand and into the table, trapping her as she tried to desperate pulled away.

Convulsing with pain, a noose was tied around her neck and lifted her entire body up, the stabbed hand left the table with the fountain pen still buried deep in it. While being suspended in mid-air, another Mini-myou with a crossbow, with a bigger pen-nib arrow, aimed at her heart and lets go, piercing through her chest without a problem. 

The body slowly swayed from side-to-side, with the Mini-myous surrounding it, seemingly whispering to one and another. 

* * *

I didn't have the heart to watch it all, I turned away right before the fatal shot. Almost everyone turned away, excluding Hisao, Shoma and Renma. Three people who were eerily familiar with these executions. Mitsuru sobbing and Higura is comforting her, Taiga cursed while the others just....._ standing there without a sound_.

"Nyahahaha!! That was such a riveting execution!! Perfect for the undead!!" Monomyou's high-pitched voice rang out in the room. "Good job, my beloved guests!! As your host, I'm highly entertained by your performance!! In fact, this calls for an early reward for you guys, huh!?"

"What kind of reward are you on about...?" Hiroshi asked, voice wavering.

"Oh? Did you forgot that I promised you to bring back some of your _**Ultimate Academy memories**_ back?" Monomyou whipped out some kind of flashlight in their hand. "Well, here it is!! This is just a prototype though, still a work-in-progress!! But!! You, my dear guests, _will be my guinea pigs for this one-of-a-kind invention!!_"

My eyes widened, "_Look awa-!!_"

Monomyou turned on the flashlight and a bright light engulfed us....

_The world_

_went_

_ white _

_......._

_...._

_..._

* * *

_"Ahhhhh, we're really graduating...." Mitsuru slumped over Higura's back without a worry. The graphic designer let out a surprised noise but didn't do anything to get her off. "I'm really sad that I won't get to hang out with you guys anymore....."_

_"You're saying that as if we're moving somewhere faraway...." Hinako laughed. "We will all keep in touch, especially Ren, right?"_

_"I-If I can...." Renma coughed, a slight blush on his face. "The spirits of the future tells a fortunate meeting.... we will all meet under the triangle stars of the summer....."_

_"And other shit that doesn't make sense...." Higura rolled his eyes back, getting pinched by Saku in return. "I'm gonna kick you guys' asses if you appeared in front of my face one day....."_

_"No worries, not everyone is gonna crash the reunion party soon! I will be travelling around the world with this fella' here!!" Kiharu and Hiroshi grinned, standing right besides each other. "We got sites to dig and mountains to scale!! We're the ultimate duo for history, ya' know!!"_

_"Amane and I will hold a special collaboration with musicians all over the world....." Hibiki smiled at Amane, who did the same in return. "Do see us if you two are ever in the same country as we do...."_

_"I wish you pairs well for your future journey...." Homare chuckled. "If anyone liked, Taiga and I planned to hold classes for people in need of self-defense... we won't hold back though....."_

_Machi, Nao and Amane were both talking to each other normally. Hinako, Homare, Saku and Kiharu were there, like nothing ever happened. Like this killing game was just a horrible nightmare. This is.... our memory of the graduation event. _

_"Hey, Ei-chan...." I waved my hand in front of an unfamiliar student besides me. "Ei-chan, you alright there? You've been spacing out this entire time...."_

_"S-Sorry... Sumi......" he looked flustered and uneasy. "It's just.... I'm not.... It's nothing really, just gotten really nervous....."_

_"What? Meeting a lot of amazing people here? With former Ultimates of our academy??" I laughed at his bashfulness. "It's been two years and you're still like this...."_

_"I'm..... **no one special**....." His shoulders hung low as he admitted. "I'm just some **lucky student** who got picked for this year by chance....."_

_"At least you're the very first lucky student to be recruited for this year!!" I cheered him up. "Alright, enough being such a negative pansy. It's your day, you know? You're gonna have a great life and future ahead of you!!"_

_"She's right, **Eiichi**...." Homare stood right before him. "In a way, you're special just like us. Our very first lucky student....."_

_Homare marched towards the front, in front of the group as she turned around and said, "Hisao's not here yet but let me say my speech to save time before we go onto the stage. For our future, for our sake, we know how our lives will go and end, which is why, as our last performance...... **let us take this whole building down with us**-_

* * *

"_Gah!_" I clutched head in pain as my ears keep ringing. _What... what the hell was that? Was that really.... our memory....?_

"H-Huh.....?" Mitsuru staggered, in a bewildered state. "W-When was that? That looked like the backstage of the theater house... _but everyone was there!! What the hell is that!?_"

"You motherfucker, what kind of tricks you're pulling this time!?" Higura hissed. "Giving us that nonsense.... that better be a fucking joke. furfuck!!!"

"How dare you!! Those are not just some fake memories!!! _They're real!!_ _**Real**_, I tell you!!!" Monomyou pouted. "Those are_ the memories that you repressed so heavily at the back of your head!!_ _The memories that all of you wanted to forget!!_"

_The memories..... we all hid from ourselves.....?_

"Then, the destruction of the luxury hotel in the newspaper...." Taiga trailed off. ".... _that was **our doing**....?_"

"Impossible... we caused the lives of many innocent people in that hotel...." Renma looked horrified at himsef. "And for some reason.... our deaths that were listed on that newspaper.... _they were fake_....?"

"Why... _would they be hiding us critters_...?" Shoma asked, nervously. "_Why would they hid us away_.....?"

"We.... _atonement_.... that should be it, that's gotta be it....." Hiroshi is becoming more erratic as he goes on. "There's no way.... there's no other way we were excused for it....."

_'... He was there, the mysterious lucky student, **Oshiro Eiichi**.....' _I stared at my hands for a bit, shaking a bit._ 'Hibiki's right.... if that memory is really true.... then... we must have been really close friends...... **but what does that mean now?** He's real, he's in our classroom but **what now?** We already solved the** fake player mystery** with not much answers and all we have to be concern about is **the mastermind**.... **the mastermind who**.....'_

"_Why did we planned that_.....?" I asked to no one. "Why did we planned... to destroy that building.... _**for what purpose**_.....?"

"_**The Ultimate Despair**_....." Hisao answered, closing his eyes as he said. "If what Nao said was true, that the _Ultimate Despair is still alive_ then.... the only reason why would we even go suicidal was _**to take down the Ultimate Despair with us**_, _something similar to that Hope's Peak Academy incident_........ making empty promises to each other as we did it like bunch of drama queens......"

"Nyahahaha!! As if that would work!!" Monomyou laughed. "_**Despair can't go down easily**_, like what that brat said!! No matter what, _**despair will stay forever and ever!!**_**_! _**Nyahahaha!!!" 

_**Despair**..._

_**Despair**......_

_**Despair**...........**?**_

_................_

_............_

_......_

* * *

Everyone retired early, after returning back from the trials, as usual in silence. It's becoming a norm, isn't it? After such a heart-wrenching moment we all have to go through, we didn't have the energy to even say something to each other, encouragement or anything. _We're just so tired of it already, we just want to forget about what happened_.

_'Homare, Hinako, Kiharu, Saku, Machi, Amane, Nao....'_ All of them, all of them. They didn't deserve it. _Fucking hell_, they didn't deserve the shit they have to go through, _all that pain and torture_. _Doomed by ideals that were twisted by the motives we were given_. We're still here living out for their sake... _for their last promise of freedom. 'Is it still worth it? Is it still fair? This situation we're in was due to our actions in the past, is it still worth yearning for freedom-'_

_"Little miss, if you're gonna cry, do it in your room... it's gonna be mega embarrassing if I'm the only one here witnessing it....."_

I slowly lifted my head, Hisao is lying face down on the couch. Right, it's just the both of us at the reception area, I mindlessly came here with my thoughts too occupied in my head that I didn't noticed the other's presence. "You're not...?"

"My head still hurts...." Hisao groaned. "From that stupid chemical fume and the trial.... it's a bad combo, ya' know? It feels like I'm gonna be a zombie tomorrow morning..... _or later in fact_....."

"You're still cheerful...." _I'm too tired to even try and joke around anymore_. "Despite everything else, you're still cheerful. When others tried to bring you down or anything, insult you and even try to murder you.... _you're still like that_....."

"_I have to learn and adapt_...." Hisao shrugged off. "It's easy, ya' know? I have resigned myself knowing, hey, people won't see this in a better light at all!! Hell, I even knew this situation is really dangerous for everyone!! But that's the thing!! _**People care too much about this sort of stuffs!!**_ _**They cared too much that it became a reality for them!!**_"

_What was that?_

"But, that's just my assumption!!" He sat up. "After all, no one's want to take the word a criminal after all!!_ The most untrustworthy person in this place!!"_

_A criminal_. The first word I associated him with when I first met him. I sighed to myself. "I think..... I will revoke what I said about you..... _you may be shady, annoying, nuisance and a glorified punching bag_...... _you're not that bad_. Really.... _not that bad of a human being_....."

"You're gonna take back those words really quick soon!!" Hisao laughed. "But thanks!! That's the kindest word you've ever said to me after all this time!!"

".... Do you seriously think _I'm kind_...?" I asked him. "I've sent three people to their deaths and let the other two died without even realizing..... I indirectly caused those deaths... do you still think I'm _'kind'_....? _It's getting hard to even accept that kind of flattery right now_...."

"Honestly, that worthless sentiment is getting really annoying for you to say out loud, little miss...." Hisao pouted. "Look, **_it's whatever you want to see it as_**._ If you don't convinced yourself that it's your problem, then it's not going be seen as a problem in your eyes_. As long as you think it's okay to think like that, then nobody can say otherwise. _It's either you take it as your own or leave it as it is_...."

_That was..... out of nowhere_. I didn't expect such a moral lesson or even an advice from _**Mafuyu Hisa**_**_o_**, the _**Ultimate Conman**_, _the person who lied and fool people for a living_. The way he said it, it felt real, _it doesn't sound like a lie_. Confidence tricks or not, _that kind of sentiment is strange enough for me to actually believe in it_.

"But then again... I'm not forcing anyone....." Hisao yawned crashing back onto the sofa beneath him. "I'm not up for game or anything right now. I'm really tired.... it's time for me to rest up and annoy more people tomorrow!! I wanna have enough energy to scavenge for stuffs too, you know!!"

".... Sao-chin..... _are you scared of dying in a place like this_...? Be honest with me...." I don't know why that question popped into my head but _it feels like I need to ask him that_. 

"This again.... You're gonna be my top priority tomorrow to be annoyed to no ends!!" Hisao sneered. "_**No, I'm not afraid**_. And why should I be? I'm everyone's first choice at this point. I have no one who will remember me when I died anyways, _just another unknown street corner criminal!!_ But!! If you really want to know this ideal death of mine!!_ I would prefer getting killed by you, little miss!! _At least you will feel bad about killing a person like me!! It would really suck if people kill me with no remorse!! I wanna take that regret as a chance to haunt them in the afterlife!!"

"Then......" My lips formed a small smile. "_I_ _will make it a short and painless death for you_..... if I ever become desperate...."

"Doubt that! We still have bunch of optimistic people around so it's gonna be hard for you to be true to that! There's no way it would happened soon!!"

"_Then you won't die next_, as easy as that. _No blood will be spilled_, everyone wins...." I stood up. "I will go back to my room now... you sure you don't want to return to yours...?"

"Nah, the coolness of the reception area is really nice... I wanna stay here all day..... I'm sure everyone's too tired and traumatized to even want to consider murdering me right now so I'm safe!!" I was already walking halfway to the elevator when he said another thing. "Good night, _Shino_....."

_"W-What was that...?"_

"_Shino_.... I got tired of saying_ 'little miss'_ all the time and it became much more of a tongue twister the more I said it. I was also thinking about it ever since the last trial on how to get back at you with that lame ass nickname so.... _Shino!!_ That's your lame nickname for now!!"

"..... _I think it's cute_...." I chuckled. "Yup, as usual, you're terrible at your own job, _acting like you really don't care_.... _good night, Sao_....."

_'If you never see it as your problem, then no one would be convinced enough to say it is.'_

That's **denial**, isn't it? _Telling me to forget about it and just go forward on my own_, _that's the first for me_. For a person like me, who always blindly take those problems in, pushing my own priorities aside. That's almost an impossible thing to do. Yet,_ it's such a simple action_. I'm...

......

_Maybe, I'm the one who's been causing problems for my own damn self._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
This won't be mentioned in future stories; the injury Sumire mentioned in the second (as her secret motive) and third chapter was about her fractured right shoulder. She was doing an undercover case and collecting information about a certain gang until her cover was blown and has to fend for herself. The gang disappeared one day and Sumi took the remaining weeks of her time limit just recovering while laying low. Ultimately, she has to lie in her report that nothing went wrong and gave her superiors the information they needed.  
The after effects is still there, she still feel residual pain if she moved it too much.
> 
> -
> 
> Three more story chapters and I, myself, am not prepared yet because I'm gonna hurt myself in confusion.


	21. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Daily Life I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nine survivors left as they discovered more clues relating to their Ultimate Academy and a door that leads to somewhere.

_"**Yokoda Machi**....** Sekiguchi Amane**.....** Ishimoto Nao**..... you even included that nobody as well? Interesting that you decided to use the very person who created that calming tune just for you....."_

_"..................."_

_......._

_"What's wrong? Cat finally got your tongue? Are you finally rotting from the inside? I've been waiting, you know? Since you have **her **ideals, it wouldn't take that long for someone like you to-"_

_"Nyahaha, I've been feeling reaaaaally tired, you know!! I've been losing a lot of energy!! How rude!! To laugh at me like this!! To be bullied by you- how unimaginable!!"_

_......._

_"I'm always like this, you're just an ignorant idiot who's oblivious to others' surrounding. You did this to yourself even...."_

_"So why are you here? You're not even that useful at all!! Always doing some monologue in your own head, making up sob stories on your own to justify yourself- in the end, you're quite a ridiculous character, aren't you? Why do you even exist!"_

_......._

_"I ask myself that question everyday as well..... ever since **that academy** recognized my **Ultimate talent**...."_

* * *

_ _

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement after the exciting event from yesterday!! Nyahahaha!! What a twisted end to our little drama!! I can't wait for today will bring!! Let's us wear our rose-coloured faces for our adventure onward!!_

_"In other words, I would like to announced that several areas that were off-limit are now opened for exploration!!! Be at your tippity-top best!! Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

........

................

_'This again....' _The announcement played for nine remaining people in the hotel. _Nine of us left_. It's frightening, _almost scary_. From when I first thought fifteen people is such a drag, _until our group starts shrinking_. _'Even our own group.... Hisao, Taiga and I are left.... and we're still not making any grounds here.... we still don't know who the mastermind is.....'_

After staying in my bed for a almost ten minutes, I finally gave in and went through my daily morning routine.This time, I didn't feel like wearing the jacket anymore, _'It's been weighing my shoulder down. It will get incredibly warm when we decided to investigate some areas more......'_

Hoping for a more serene morning this time, I left my room.

* * *

_"Higura...? You're the only one here....?"_

I was surprised to find the dining hall vacant, except the presence of one said person, _of course_. The graphic designer doesn't look away from his ElectroID, drawing something on it as he spoke, "Was waiting for you, the others already went ahead investigating. Hurry up and finish your breakfast so that we can catch up with others, already...."

"Alright, alright......" He's a bit indifferent right now, maybe a little impatient. Higura always kept his guard up around everyone. That little resistant side of him is something to be admired.

"How's everyone?" I asked, concern about everyone's well-being after the trial. If I could barely keep tabs on my thoughts last night, I couldn't imagine how it went for others. Especially for people like Taiga and Mitsuru, _who saw Nao in a brighter light_.

"They're.... _coping as hell_...." Higura doesn't let that one remark slide. "It ain't easy when it turns out we're all in this situation _because of our own wrongdoing_....."

"I don't think it's just that...." I countered, finishing my breakfast as I continued. "Whatever we're trying to do, trying to bring someone down... probably this..._** Ultimate Despair**_...... maybe we failed and they took us away..... somewhere far away......"

_"That's ridic-"_

"Why else are we in this killing game? Why else are we forced to kill our classmates when only given motives by that accursed cat?" I asked, washing my own plate as I deliver one question after another. "It's because this whole thing _is for someone else's sick amusement_. Someone who doesn't feel anything else but _**despair**_. They want _to watch us fall into despair just like them_... _just like **Nao**, who probably did without us noticing_......."

Higura didn't bat an eye at those questions but he doesn't look too surprised or anything when I finished. Just a neutral expression, "So, you're riding onto Amane's theory now, huh? _That this whole game is set up by the **Ultimate Despair**? _I still think it's the most ridiculous shit ever but.... fuck it,_ what else should we believe in now?_"

".... Ironic, that he has the upper hand...._ when he's dead right now_....." I sighed, leaning on the bar of the dining hall. "Whoever the mastermind is.... _the **Ultimate Despair** or some sadistic corporation_.... we better find out or else, we're done for....."

"Of course, there's no way in hell I would even want to listen to you if you suggest we should give up right now...." Higura sat up, hands on his hip. "By the way, you look like a poor imitation of those weird_ Visual Kei_ idols, what's up with that?"

"We're gonna go scout anyways.... I don't need to feel extra heat from wearing a jacket all day...." It does feel weird wearing just my black shirt and red ribbon tie on. _And the color does seem a bit punk-ish_. "So.... shall we go?"

The both of us left the dining hall, my eyes wandered on the sofas at the reception area as I remembered last night conversation with Hisao, "Oh, was Hisao alright?"

"Ah, fuck, that guy....." Higura scratched the back of his head. "When that gunfreak and I woke up, we found that prick passed out on the sofa with high fever. Gunfreak volunteered to take care of him as he brought him to the prick's room...... _I also recommend tying that stupid conman's up so that he won't bother anyone else anymore_....."

_'In the end, he got sick staying here.....' _"Well, serves him right for listening and annoyed other people....." Even with that, I'm planning to drop by and to check on him this afternoon. _There's only the three of us left after all._

* * *

One of places that recently opened up was an old warehouse that hid right behind the theater house. It's a fairly small building compared to the grand structure of the theater but the insides are still vastly spacious. Hiroshi was already ahead, scavenging through some parts.

"There's a lot of old spare parts and stuffs but......" Hiroshi remarked. "I think they're beyond usable at this point...... plus I'm not really familiar with machinery and stuffs like this....."

"Mechanical parts......" Higura muttered. "_If that airhead freak was still here, he would be losing his mind over this place_....."

The abseiler and I tensed around when he mentioned the aerobat. We didn't expect for him to name-drop the person so casually. He must have realised it as he asked, "So nothing useful to help us getting out of this crummy place?"

"Ah!! Actually I found really old-looking document under some busted computer....." Hiroshi handed me the thing he found. "I didn't really look inside, I was too busy inspecting this whole place to look for clue but so far..... _this is just machinery's graveyard mostly_...."

"This is....." Carefully, I wiped off the dust, and flipped it open to read, "_**Hope's Peak Academy**_..... _**Confidential Case**_.....?"

"This school again....." Hiroshi frowned. "I guess it's safe to assume the academy we attended really is just another smaller branch....."

Without wasting another time, I begin to read the lines, _"Due to numerous disappearance cases of the students of **Yumeino Ultimate Academy For Elites**, Hope's Peak Academy Community have decided to hired a few of their previous alumnus relating to the law enforcement to collaborate with a few teachers from the smaller sister school. Said included individual will have their identities hidden from the staff and students of both schools....."_

"A disappearance case.....?" Higura raised a brow. "That came out of nowhere.... what's with that...?"

_This has to be related to what Monomyou have said. Referring to us 'this batch', could it be they were also kidnapped by the_\- My eyes widened once I saw the list of identification that were alumni of Hope's Peak Academy, "_**Hoshino Iwao**, **Former Ultimate Private Investigator**,** Alumni and Specialist Instructor of Hope's Peak Academy**_...."

"W-Whoa!! Your father!?" Hisao gripped onto the folder to take a closer look. "Wow, your family tree is surely blessed with intelligence, huh!"

"Y-Yeah... my mentor is.... _amazing_....." I trailed off, when I saw the year he was assigned with this case. "_This case has been going on for.... nine years.....?_" _Nine years ago_, that's when my mentor first took me in.

"On verge of becoming a cold case or something? What's taking them so long to figure it out??" Higura commented. "Maybe we should share this info with everyone else.... like last time, let's wait out until they received a concussion or something...."

"Right...." I closed the folder, alarmed by how bulky it is compared the previous files we've found so far. This contained both information from both schools and dealing with disappearance cases that's been going on. _But does it really relate to us....?_

As we both exited the warehouse, Hiroshi showcased the interchangeable lock on the doors, secured the key inside his pocket. _"If anyone tried to steal the key from me, they would have tough time trying to detached the chains and all"_ he said so himself.

* * *

The next place that was unlocked was a huge garden area; _Monomyou's_ _Rose Garden Terrance, _located between the gymnasium and the shooting gallery. Like the name suggest, it's just a park filled to brim with different colors of roses and other floral kinds. A huge white archways leading us to the middle of the park there's a white birdcage-looking house being surrounded by benches. There, Hibiki and Mitsuru seems to be relaxing instead.

"Sumi!! Mochi!!! Heya!!!" Mitsuru jumped to her feet, hugging both of us at the same time. "Good to see you two up and healthy!! Best to be in ultra hype behavior!!!"

"You were sulking early this morning, don't fucking throw that shit at us....." Higura sighed. "Anyways, nothing suspicious? Just some really off-putting garden? In the middle of nowhere?"

"To be honest, this is the most nicest place Monomyou have added at the moment....." Hiroshi laughed. "Knowing that cat..... there has to be something here that worth checking out...."

"There's a labyrinth behind this building here......" Hibiki pointed at the birdcage building. "We didn't dare to venture further, we're afraid it might be a trap...."

"Yeah, yeah!!" Mitsuru nodded in agreement. "There's like a sign near the entrance saying, _'There's a special surprise inside!! Come and take a look; The Ultimate Reward!!' _or something like that. It sounds promising, doesn't it?"

"It's best to leave it as it is first.... we don't know if that reward even mean any good to us...." I stated. "So... the old warehouse and this rose garden are the only new places....? It's..... _a bit underwhelming_...." _The theater and casino from before really did made a huge impact on all of us_.

"There's another place......" Mitsuru gestured at the building. "This one in fact!! This is just an entrance!!_ There's another place opened up, underneath it!!_"

_An.... underground passage....? Something we talked about during our first day here. Hinako said they were locked tight, the one at the basement.... does that mean it was recently unlocked...?_

"Renma told us to just stay up here.... since um....." the cosmetologist tries to remember. "I don't know what he actually said since he's being vague about it but _'we won't like what we will see down there'_.... or something like that?"

_'That's something Shoma would say....'_ "Then, I will go and check on them....." I volunteered. "If it's really that serious to warrant a warning then it's something worth checking out....."

"I will go to...." Higura joined in. "This bright floral landscape is starting to hurt my eyes and I will really throw up if stay any longer....."

And so, both of us entered the building, discovering the way down through the spiral metal staircase that made a lot of noises as we descend downwards into the abyss.

* * *

"W-What the fuck is this.....?"

"I.... is this..... _a catacomb._...?" I shivered when the coolness of the air starts to hit. Alarmed by the sight of humans remained lined up on the wall, giving a passing glance as we walked forward until we see two familiar figures, "Shou-chin, Ren-chin!!"

"Ah... Sumi....." Shoma waved. "You're finally up..... We, critters, have been investigating this place....."

"Yeah, now I fucking understand why you two wouldn't want Hibiki to see..... _this_....." Higura gulped, hiding behind my back. "This is some freaky shit, whose remains are these!? And why is there a fucking catacombs underneath this place anyways!?"

"A more appropriate term for this is a _'crypt'_, I don't see any religious intents or purposes being associated with this place....." Renma commented. "And these remains here are more or so ten years old, _there are some newer ones here as well_......"

"So, they're not ancient burials or anything....? This place is recently made....?" Absurd, that's all I can say._ It's absurd_. With how many deaths we've witnessed so far, it's almost insulting to be horrified by that instead of this place. _'Kiharu..... if it weren't for the situation we're in, she would have been overly excited to see this as well.... no, she has the decency to be a bit more disturbed by this....'_

At the far end, there was a huge metal door, a striking difference than the stone walls surrounding it. Above the door, there's some writing,_ Latin writing_. "**_Dum vita est spes est_**....." It's been a while since I've last spoke in this language. _'I've been abandoning by choir practice since I was taken in as an investigator....'_

"Ah... Sumi... you understand it....?"

"N-No, I just know how it sounds or spelled like.....?" I answered Shoma's question. "My knowledge is really rusty so it might take a while for me to find it out what it meant... maybe the library have some sort of transla-"

"_**When there is life, there is** **hope**_....." Higura said suddenly. "That's what it meant...."

"-tion...."_ **He **understand that...?_ "Wait.... really? You knew that phrase....?"

"As stupid as it sounds like, I've deal with a lot of people who wanted me to design some stuffs for their website, business profiles and shitty things like that...." Higura shrugged. "I'm familiar with people trying to sound cool and edgy with their works so I have to take safety precautions and actually research my shit before putting the things they asked me to do... _apparently Latin phrases is just one of most used language for aesthetic reasons only_...so I recognized that phrase because my client keep requesting that and it drilled into my mind, _it was really annoying_...."

_He understood it just because of that!?_

"That's.... strangely convenient...." Renma remarked. "_**Hope**_...... these phrases has been appearing a lot more lately..... _**Hope **_and **_Despair_**....... Ever since we discovered the event known as _**'The Tragedy' **_few days ago, more things appeared relating to said words. Regardless of words usage, there doesn't seem a way to open this door..... _it could have lead us to somewhere else_...."

_Like a way out of this place_, there's no way Monomyou would easily revealed this place as that, right? If there's anything we have learned about that cat, is that they just love to toy with us using misleading clues.

"Ah, right....." I almost forgot something important. "I found another document hidden at the warehouse with Hiroshi.... it's best all of us gathered at the reception area to talk about it....."

"Understood, I will come by this place again some other time...." Renma mentioned. "I could use my spare time studying the remains more precisely...."

"You're getting a lot more creepier the more you dwell into this deceased side of yours....." Higura grunted.

_"My apology, forced of habit....."_

* * *

"Here's what we found....." The folder and other important documents are sprawled all over the desk, making sure everyone can see them. After investigating the eerie crypt, Hiroshi has already told Mitsuru and Hibiki the details and so all of us headed to the hotel with no problem. Now, each and everyone one of us is going through the documents, trying to piece with previous info in the past.

"The disappearance case..... it has to be something similar to us... right?" Mitsuru asked. "I mean, we're _'kidnapped'_ per say.... by the mastermind of this game...."

"But unlike us,_ we have a reason why we're in this predicament_..... _but them_....." Hiroshi clicked his tongue. "I don't know man, the fact that our academy has this case going on for almost ten years is kind of freaky.... and we probably didn't noticed at that time when we first attended...."

_Ten years_, _ten years after **'The Tragedy'** ended_. Is it purely coincidence? Or is there some information we're missing right now? If the _**Ultimate Despair**_ is still around, then it has to be their followers' doing, right? If it is, then why? _Why even bother building some sort of cult....?_

"H-Hey!! Isn't this your mentor's name!?" Mitsuru showed me the document of one of the Hope's Peak' alumni. "He was also an instructor at Hope's Peak Academy?!"

"Don't ask me, _I didn't even know that myself_......" The academy has been around for hundred of years already, I just didn't expect my mentor could possibly be one of their oldest students. "I didn't even know he was working on this case for so long....."

"What? And you called yourself _his daughter?_" Mitsuru gaped at the designer as she slightly punched his shoulder. He was about to scold back but the other's expression warned him not to go even further.

"I just didn't know about it, that's all-"

"_Sumi_...." Shoma had a worried look on his face as he passed me another set of document, the one I haven't read and placed way underneath the reports. "This critter think...... _**you don't remembered**_......"

"What do you mean-" I scanned through the paragraph and immediately understood what he meant. "_Due to the circumstances, we will be transferring the supposed students of** Hope's Peak Academy** to the sister school,** Yumeino Ultimate Academy for Elites**. While these students' Ultimate Talents were already recognised for the next semester, they will spending their years at the sister school while simultaneously report back any findings back to the main branch for any breakthrough......"_

And there my name and talent; _**Hoshino Sumire, Ultimate Private Investigator, Transfer Request Accepted**_. And there's two other students who's been marked as '_**Request Pending**_'

"I..._ knew about it_....?" And I was supposed to be helping my mentor and the Hope's Peak Academy about this case? _Why did I forgot something so important? Most importantly, _"Who the hell are these two students....?"

"Another mystery......" Hibiki muttered. "_It seems our class is plagued with unknown identities_......"

_True, but now we know Oshiro Eiichi and his lucky talent actually exists and was there with us. _"I don't think it affects.... _our class_.... I guess I'm the only one transferred with you guys and they must have been for the other classes...... I'm not really sure anymore....."

"_I'm gonna skinned that furfuck if this turns out to be one of their tasteless lie_....." Higura gritted his teeth. "But now, we have a disappearance case and some more useless information...... _we didn't even react that strongly at all_...."

_Right_, that headache thing. If it's something severe then we would have remembered tidbits about it, like last time. But was it because they weren't heavily involved in it...? If yes then.... why can't _**I **_remember it...?

"I'm gonna keep this with me!!" Hiroshi said as he reorganised everything. "I found a very secured lock box at the warehouse that only I know the combination to! No worries, I will keep it safe!!"

I've been hoarding a lot of things in my room, I'm glad Hiroshi took the initiative, "Great idea, I will be leaving it up to you. That's it then...._ nothing much to take from it_....."

"May I ask who will relay these findings to Taiga and Hisao?" Renma asked. "There are slight chances that they might remembered something about this as well....."

"How useful can a marksman and a goddamn criminal can be during this period?" Higura replied. "Things like these can only go over their head....."

No, _Renma said that for a whole different reason_;_ "ask Hisao about this, he might have an idea or two"_. That person is quick at making decision as well, "I will be telling them. After all, if anyone of you are in the same room as him,_ it wouldn't take long for him to be beaten into pulp_....."

_"Aren't you his friend?"_

_"I'm his caretaker at this point...." I can spare my free time to visit him and Taiga._

* * *

I rang the doorbell, "Tai-chin, it's me, Sumi!!"

A bit of rummaging was going on behind the door before it was swung open by the marksman, "Ah, g'morning!! Or actually.... it's more of a_ 'good afternoon'_ at this point!"

"Seems like you've gotten really busy taking care of him...." I looked behind him, seeing an awfully messy room. _'I thought Amane's room is the most messy one when he's in his composing mode....'_

"Yeah, he's surprisingly...... _more annoying _when he's sick and not right in his mind......" Taiga cringed a bit. "But he has gotten a bit better now, can actually think and speak clearly for once...."

"_Wow, a huge feat for him_....." the marksman welcomed me into the room. Despite the clutter, Hisao's room is much more spacious. His room is just like any other hotel rooms in this building, wouldn't have expect to see some trinkets or something. And there he is, laying down on his bed with a towel over his forehead, "_So you still think sleeping in a cold area is a-okay?_"

"Oh, shut up, Shino....." Hisao grumbled out as he buried his face underneath the covers. "This is embarrassing, like super, mega embarrassing. To be seen as weak and vulnerable at a time like this, _there's no way I can regain back my cool image!!_"

"Hey, you're lucky that I'm willing to nurse you back to health...." Taiga argued, sitting on a chair nearby. "Just my luck that there's appropriate medicines and herbal remedy in the kitchen that I can use to save his sorry ass. Guess my survival skill did come in handy...."

"I'm sorry that you have to be a mother to him at this moment...."

"Nah, I got used to these sort of things. I take care lots of people, sick and injured, in the past as well!"

"The worst thing he done was forcing me to take a bath......" muttered Hisao.

"_And that's a problem because?_"

"He called me a '_casanova' _just because I said I'm used to seeing other people's naked bodies...." Taiga sighed, resting his chin onto his hand. "Even though it's just me saying that _he should be scrubbing his whole body down_...."

"......... _I seriously don't know what you guys wanted me to say about that_..." The boldness of these two- "Anyways, there's three new places that recently opened up. The old warehouse that has electronic and machinery parts but all of them are beyond usable...."

"That's interesting...." Taiga remarked. "I might drop by later if I can... who knows there might be materials I can used for my pellet-making....."

"Ask Hiroshi later, he's holding the key to that place...." I told him. "The next place was the_ Monomyou's Rose Garden Terrance_, just a rose garden and really sketchy labyrinth that promises an _'Ultimate Reward'_ if we go in there....."

"That sounds fucking horrible...." the conman sputtered out. "... and a trap!! Don't do anything rash until I see it for myself!!"

"We got that idea way ahead of you and we stir clear from that. And the last place was.... _highly disturbing_.... _it was a crypt with a metal door leading somewhere_...."

Taiga immediately sat up straight, "A crypt?? _Here??_"

"Why is there a crypt near a resort....?" Hisao frowned. "This gone way beyond just a tourist attraction..... is there anything significance about that place....?"

"Just that metal door that we couldn't open, we didn't know how to....." I answered. "And I'm not sure how important this is but there's a writing above the door that said, _'When there is life, there is **hope**'_, and that's it. That's all we found in that place. Renma even said the remains there are _at least ten years old or less than that_....." _**The Tragedy**, **the disappearance cases** and **the crypt's existence** all happened approximately** ten years ago**, could it be....?_

"Sorry, Shino.... can't think at all at the moment....." Hisao pulled the cover over his head. "Head's full of cotton and white noises that I'm gonna get drowned if I don't rest enough!! All those things are really interesting to talk about but probably not now!! Not yet!! Wait till I recover then we can go on an adventure!!"

"Or.... wait, where...?"

"The crypt!!" He pulled the cover down again. "I have a feeling that shady metal door has to be related to _some sort of an organisation _with the word '_**hope**_' being included and all!"

_'What does that supposed to mean?'_ "Well, if you thought of answer or even come up with any suggestion, please tell us.... we might be able to work it out from there....." I told him calmly. "There's also another thing we discussed.... have you guys ever heard of _the disappearance case involving the students from our academy_...?"

"Nope... doesn't ring a bell....." Both Hisao and Taiga shook their head. So they don't know anything as well._ Then why was that even given to use in the first place? 'So I was transferred from the main branch to Yumeino just to record any strange activities.... sounds about right, **covert surveillance**, part of my job after all.....'_

_Then, I got caught in this mess._

_Just my luck....._

_'Luck....... Right, talking about these mysterious identities.... just when we solved one mystery.... the other two popped up..... are they really that important to think about right now? We could be wasting our time overthinking just like the last motive....' _"Wait, that thing hasn't popped up yet.... right....?"

"That thing..... Monomyou, right....?" Taiga understood immediately. "No, haven't seen them since the morning announcement..... afraid that they will popped up with another motive....?"

"...... At this point,_ I'm considering shooting that damn thing in the face_...." I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "I can't be even bother to care about the rules of hurting them...."

"Chill!!" Hisao grabbed the pillow underneath his head and throw it at my face. "If you die, then how will I die!? I don't want anyone here to kill me!!"

"Wha- You idiot!! What if I got sick because of you!?" I scowled and throw back the pillow. "I'm not gonna let you dragging me down using your own sickness!"

_"Well then, we shall see what your immune system decides in the end!!"_

_"Ah geez, you two!! Stop fighting, this room is already as messy as it is!!"_

* * *

**[ Free Time Event ]**

After ceremoniously getting kicked out of the room, I fidget around with my ElectroID, _'Still have enough time to hang out with someone.... who should I hang out with.....'_ my eyes landed on Higura's door. _'There's a lot of things I wanted to know about him... besides his job.... the last time I asked him, he got really heated over it....' _"It will be fine....." I rang the doorbell.

"It ain't locked, just come in!!"

True to his words, the door opened normally and closed it once I got in. Higura's room has rather beautiful portraits and water-colored landscapes hung up on the wall. He seemed to be working on something at his desk as well.

"What are you doing?" I peeked behind him. He's.... _painting something_. "Oh, you're a traditional artist as well...?"

"Hobbyist.... besides it's basically my foundation..." said Higura while focusing on painting. "Got too much time so you're gonna disturbed me? _Better not touch anywhere on this painting or else I will fucking break your fingers_..."

"Not planning to do that....." I nervously replied. "I've just realized something lately.... you have really sharp eye for details, huh? The way you designed our stage costumes, the stage itself, even color coordination is on-point with the theme of the play we did. It's like you can used your _**Ultimate Graphic Designer**_ talent various of ways...."

_In the end, I talked about it._

"Obviously, our job is to make sure everything looks pleasant and pleasing to the eyes and not scorching from the inside out....." said Higura, dipping the paintbrush into the murky water jar. "And those stage things are just from my extra experience...."

_"Extra experience....?"_

"None of your fucking business..." He hissed.

_But you said it yourself_.... "I just never see you as a.... um.... a fashionable guy... even with such a petite face like that....."

"Wha-!? _Are you saying I'm cute something!?_" He almost dropped the brush onto the floor.

"_I didn't even say anything remotely close to that_....." Is this some strange complex he's having? He doesn't want to be called or be compared to cute things? I guess it's normal for someone like him but he immediately went straight to the point. "If you really hate that then I won't say it again, okay? I'm sorry, I didn't know it would make you really angry...."

"That ain't enough!!!" He proclaimed. "From now on, any cute thoughts you've associated me with is now banned within my diameters!! Anything related to that and I won't hesitate to rip your hair off!!"

"Whoa, that's too extreme for someone like you...." I tried to calm him down. "Even as an accidental slip.... you can't say that to others without meaning to, that's really scary for them to hear....."

"Yeah? What's the big deal about that?" Higura huffed, leaning back onto his chair. "I don't care if people can't handle me and my loudmouth personality, that's their problem not mine...."

"There's a fine line between _'being yourself'_ and _'being unnecessarily violent while approaching others' _......." wow, that's rich coming from me. "I don't know what kind of reaction you were expecting when saying that hair-pulling stuffs..... but it did made me want to leave you alone after that....."

"Good, because that's the reaction I was expecting....."

"So you have low expectations about it, huh...." I decided. "Then I will stay instead..... I will just stay here and continue the conversation like it didn't happened. And maybe after a while, you wouldn't find me so bothersome by just being here....."

"God, people like you are so annoying...." he sighed in annoyance. "But if it makes this visit worthwhile for you _then who the hell am I going to take away someone else's fun_....."

_Someone else's fun_, I guess he's referring to painting being his personal comfort zone so I started talking about it instead. The conversation went smoothly from there, Higura usually answered with a short sentence or even a forced one but the more we talked about it, the more expressive and long his sentence is. I could even see a smile he has while painting.

In the end, he said that he's free whenever I decided to drop-by and learn about watercolor painting. I told him that maybe next time._ 'I guess I can consider this outing to be a success.....'_

* * *

"It's going to be nighttime soon.... well, it's good that today's not hectic at all...." I hummed to myself, sitting on my bed. "That's a relief.... we all needed a much more relaxed day..... _unlike last time_....."

_Last time, we were on edge, constantly on our toes because of what believed was a time limit motive. Just like that, we almost exhaust ourselves in the end after the class trial._

_'Even during the middle... we were really in deep thought about these whole events..... Hope's Peak Academy... The Tragedy... Ultimate Despair.... how are they linked with us? Why does the stuffs from the past even matter now, almost a decade later....?'_

"Another mystery for us to solved in the end.... I guess I should just sleep in for no-" Something dropped down in front of my and I instinctively grabbed the nearby animal plush to try and hit it. Thankfully, I didn't swing it around as soon as I saw what it was, "M-Monomyou!?"

"Huh? You're gonna hit me with that plush?" Monomyou tilted their head in curiosity. "Strange choice of weapon but I warned ya'!! Violence against your host is strictly forbidden!!"

_'You're definitely doing it on purpose....' _I sighed, hugging the plush to my chest. "What do you want now? _Seeing your guests personally can only mean one thing_....."

"Nyahahahaha!! So you're accustomed to your lovely host's pattern!!" Monomyou laughed. "Unfortunately, it's not that!! I'm just here to deliver a reminder!!"

"A reminder?" _For what?_

"You've all visited my spectacular rose garden, right!?" Monomyou explained. "Inside that garden is the amazing labyrinth that was planned out by yours truly!! You can't enter alone and there's a gate there that will immediately deny you from entering!! And if two people that entered as a pair completed the mysteries of that labyrinth, you will be rewarded handsomely at the end!!"

_So the labyrinth is the motive this time?_ It could be that, but I'm afraid that it might be just another distraction. "So what if we chose to ignore the labyrinth, what's the bad outcome?" I asked.

"Eh? Not really, no bad outcome at all!!" Monomyou replied cheerfully. "After all, as your delightful host, I feel sort of bad making you all go through those play preparations and set-ups before that didn't even end completely!! So I decided to gave you all a break for now!! But I can still get bored with being relaxed anyways so I may change my mind right away!! Nyahahahaha!!"

Figures that it's not going to be that easy for us. The way this day went on without any interruption makes sense now. This is the only time I feel glad for what Monomyou decided for us....... _for now_.

"I'm also here to fulfill a certain task of mine; your reward for completing the trial!!" Monomyou confessed, striking a pose. "As your reward, I may or may not answer your question truthfully about your past memories!!"

_A 50-50 chance of getting the answer I wanted? _This play way too well in our favor. Unless this cat wants us to ask a very desperate question so that they can give an half-ass answer, then it's best not to go in that direction, "_Then where is Oshiro Eiichi right now?_"

"Huh? A _'where'_ but not a_ 'what'_ or a _'who'_?" Monomyou snickers. "That's awfully mundane of you, Ms. Investigator!! Why worry about such a trivial manner!! Are you wasting your opportunity over some student? What about the Ultimate Academy or your father!!"

"Mr. Iwao has nothing to do with this...." I snapped back, reminding myself to calm down again. Of course, _the host did eavesdropped on us talking about the documents earlier_. "And I don't think the Ultimate Academy is even related to this mess so answer me this, _where is Oshiro Eiichi right now?_"

"Nyahaha!! Your _nya_ness! Ackh- I stuttered!! My bold-sounding words have merged to match my own noises!!!" Monomyou silently cried. "But fear not, this student you're talking about is_ no concern of ours!!_ _No significance because he's a nobody!! _That's it!! He's just a nobody who's lucky enough to not end up in this place with you guys in the first place!! So, throw that concern away and think about yourself even more!!"

_Again, **lucky**_. If luck really is a talent, then what kind of luck is it? _Avoiding catastrophe before it happened? Does that even exists?_ "Well, I'm actually satisfied from that..... it's not really for nothing...."

"Ackh!? You're actually satisfied from a vague-ass answer!?" Monomyou gasped. "It seems nothing can faze you even more, Ms. Investigator!! I'm a big fan of that!! Well, I will be seeing the others as well!! Nyahahaha!! Have a nice nightly rest!!"

I collapsed back onto my bed as soon as the cat host disappeared, sighing to myself, _'Saying that I'm satisfied is really off..... I got more questions from that instead...... but that's bound to happened. Every mystery we solved, there's going to be a lot more questions to sort through before we can make a complete story..... it's something everyone have to get used to......'_

"....... _Tomorrow_....." If Hisao actually got better tomorrow, then maybe Taiga and I can tagged along, inspecting those three areas again. As usual, we might have missed something from our initial search, or Monomyou could have placed something discreetly overnight.

........

It's kind of scary that I have gotten used to that kind of routine or thoughts. Always expect the worst, troubling scenario I can think of. _Can't be really helped_, it's what I have to learn to deal about. _'Tomorrow.... please be a more serene-filled day as well....'_

With that final wish, I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]
> 
> Because I'm a seiyuu trash, here's some VAs I imagined for them to have (and it's what helped me to write their dialogue more accurately);
> 
> Hoshino Sumire - Marina Inoue  
Asami Mitsuru - Rie Takahashi  
Setsu Hibiki - Eri Kitamura  
Hanabusa Hinako - Reina Ueda  
Takara Homare - Ayaka Suwa  
Satoshi Kiharu - Yuri Horie  
Ishimoto Nao - Yuuko Sanpei
> 
> Mafuyu Hisao - Shinichiro Miki  
Amahiko Shoma - Jun Oosuka  
Oki Renma - Kei Hosogai  
Yoshimune Taiga - Toriumi Kousuke  
Osame Hiroshi - Yuuma Uchida  
Oozora Saku - Kenji Nojima  
Mochizuki Higura - Hiruma Shunya  
Yokoda Machi - Natsuki Hanae  
Sekiguchi Amane - Hiroki Takahashi
> 
> They're not really fixed or anything but it's what I imagined most of the time!!  
And yes, most of my inspiration for their voices were mostly from character songs.


	22. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Daily Life II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day of exploration, another day for a heated battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my brain: do Ultimate Development Plan with your charas and the canon ones  
me: :/...  
my brain: ikusaba + taiga, sumire + kokichi and peko + hinako interaction though  
me: :O!!!!

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily morning announcement by the one and only, you lovely host, the Magnificent Monomyou!! I wonder how is everyone doing today? Feeling great? Slowly cracking down mysteries one by one? I wonder, I wonder!! Never knew I would enjoy such a thrilling mystery solving game instead!! Of course, I can't abandoned the killing game just like that, nyahahaha!!_ _ Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

_'They've been eavesdropping on what we've discussed yesterday as well, huh.....' _I rested my chin onto the table. I woke up earlier before the announcement, dressed up (with my jacket this time) and went to the dining hall with Hiroshi and Taiga already present. Both of them are preparing our breakfast this time.

"With the way they said it..... it sounds like _they're planning something_....." Hiroshi remarked, placing the food onto the table. "Anyways, that host went into you guys' rooms, right? What did you asked them....?"

"Nothing too important...." I side-eyed. "Because I got a really half-assed answer instead....."

"I asked about_ the disappearance cases_...." said the abseiler, sighing. "They said that we wouldn't know about it because we're just those type of lazy students back then....._ and I'm not sure if that's true or not_......"

"I didn't really ask them anything...." Taiga claimed. "I don't know, I just feel uncomfortable that they would willingly drop-by our rooms just to pull that on us. _It just feels like a trap_...."

_It is rather strange_, but it's not like they've never done it before. Monomyou did see us personally during the secret motives incident, and I'm not sure how is this any different than last time. But for Hiroshi's question, it does sounds like they're dodging that on purpose.

"Good morning, everyone!!" A cheerful voice rang out, Mitsuru, Higura and Hisao walked in, looking a lot more better than yesterday. "How is everyone! Hope Monomyou didn't disturbed you all last night!!"

"Furfuck barged in when I was painting....." Higura grumbled. "And let us ask them a question. Mitsun and I got jackshit when we asked them the same thing; _who's the mastermind? _Furfuck said we will be spoiling the game and it wouldn't fun anymore, _whatever the fuck that means_...."

"That's a vanilla-esque question you two asked there....." Hisao snickers. "Well, at least it shows..... that thing has no intention to answer us honestly, just messing with us once again......"

"And I was really excited too....." Mitsuru sat next to Hiroshi, followed by Higura and Hisao sat right in front of Taiga. "For once, I thought they would play nice but they only refer to our resting period as a _'nicest thing they have done for us'_......"

"What about you, Sao? What did you ask them?" I asked, curiously.

"Hmm.... something that's been bothering me since the last trial..... as much as I hate that person...." Hisao pondered. "_Is Nao really the fake player?_"

_Huh? Why bring that up after a day?_ "Why would ask that? She said it hersel-"

"_But Monomyou didn't say anything about it_....." he leans back in his chair. "If Monomyou is that much of a pompous host, they would take the chance and boast about it. you know? But nope, they were completely quiet about when Nao confessed. _They didn't even move a muscle until it was time for her punishment_......"

Everyone flinched at the last word, her last moment still burns in our mind. _But Hisao does have a point. _We never even had a verbal confirmation that_ she was the fake player_. We just assumed she was at that moment, _it was us who solidified that as a fact_. So....... _there's a possibility that the fake player is still around_....? _Give me a break_....

"And of course, the host just said I wasted my chance on such a trivial question and left just like that....." Hisao sighed. "How cruel of them, and I was going to invite them over for a game of charade! I'm getting ignored a lot lately!!"

"_It's probably for our best anyways_...." Higura snorted.

"Ignoring that obvious slander.... Tai! Shino!! Wanna join me on an adventure!?" Hisao gleamed. "You guys had too much fun bullying me yesterday so I wanna have my revenge on you two now!! If you reject me then I will annoy you two all day until you accept!!"

_That's pure torture_, both the marksman and I looked at each other for a bit, before sighing in defeat, "_Fine_....."

"Good, good!! Hey, Hiro... we're gonna need to borrow the key as well!!" the conman pester the abseiler besides him. "I wanna see what's the fuss about that warehouse!! Who knows what we will find in there!!"

"A-Alright, stop poking my cheek with that fork!! You're gonna hit the wrong thing!!"

_"Are you suggesting that I should poke you in the eye with this?"_

"What!? That's the completely opposite thing I ask you to-!!"

"_Good morning, everyone_...." Hibiki and the other two people showed up, but they looked so..... _sullen_. _'Ren and Shou looked differently today.... no, no, not appearance-wise but the mood around them feels really odd....' _the mortician looks like he was troubled by something while Shoma just walked by without a word towards others, not saying his usual catchphrase or anything. Hibiki noticed this too, as she uncomfortably shifts her position away from the other two.

"_And so the rain clouds appeared_....." Hisao was the first one to speak up. "What's the matter, _**mortician**_, **_biologist_**_? _You two are usually so buddy-buddy early in the morning? What's with the sudden cold shoulder?"

"_**Shut up**_.." Shoma snapped back. Renma just glared from afar.

_'W-What's going on...? This is really unlike of them.....'_ Higura and I were alarmed by the sudden hostile attitude from Shoma. Did something happened yesterday? Or did Monomyou do something to riled them up last night? Even if it's like that, it wouldn't warrant a reaction like this-

"Well!! I think it's best to get going!!" Hisao walked over, grabbing both Taiga and I by the arms. "Adventure awaits, you know!! Nothing would be done if we're just lazing around so let's go!!"

_"S-Sao!! Hands off!!"_

_"Whoa, you're surprisingly stronger now!!!"_

* * *

_"Sao, what's the meaning of-"_

"Sorry, but I don't want my mood to be soured by some sort of lovers' affair!!" I can see Hisao pouted slightly. _Is he talking about Shoma and Renma?_ "They also look more pissed off than usual from when I usually teased them. Renma is really vocal about his feelings so for him to be so quiet now is very eerie!! _Plus, I don't want to be in the same room with very heated glares from two people I least wanted to hang out with!!_"

"If you teased them everyday, then that's probably why they're more mad at you than usual....." Taiga commented, rubbing his wrist. "But it is kind of scary..... I mean, we really didn't expect them, out of all people, be really angry...."

_'And I really thought Hinako and Taiga, himself, would be the scary ones.... Shou and Ren being silent of how they felt..... yeah, something's definitely wrong...'_

"Let's stop by the warehouse first!!" Hisao exclaimed. "It's the first place we will passed by, right? Best to check while we're at it!!"

_'It feels like I picked a really bad time to accompany these two..... while I do want to look for clues to find the mastermind but... Ren and Shou.......I hope they're fine nonetheless, I will try and see them later before nighttime hits.....'_

Once we've arrived, Hisao unlocked the door with no problems and we started to inspect everything inside. The warehouse only has the front door, numerous shelves lined up horizontally with old spare parts. Hisao found something that he seems to be familiar with, "Ah!! This thing!! How nostalgic!!"

"What is...?" It looks like a small radio in his hands with a microphone attached to it. "What is that? It looks really antique....."

"Huh, I'm surprised you don't recognized it, Shino!!" Hisao turned the knobs around. "This thing here..... is every con-artists' must-have tool!! It's like a recorder, you know!! It's what we usually used when we're trying to send messages discreetly!!"

"Oh, _that_......" Now that he said it, the device does look familiar. Like I've seen it before entering here. "_Like a tape recorder disguised as a radio_, right? Because of these things' existence, it became normal routine check-up for us, investigators, to inspect through any radio that's present at the scene, _even the culprit's or victim's house_..... I'm surprised it can even faked that feedback noise when turning the knobs......"

"_I feel like I'm entering a very dangerous territory here_....." Taiga nervously laughed behind us. "How does it really work....?"

"Well, it just record your voice, that's it!!" Hisao exclaimed. "That audio will be buried under numerous other white noises until you find the right frequency to hear the message clearly!!! It's like a message layered underneath those miscellaneous noises!!"

"I'm amazed and that's one thing, but all of that seems really a haste to prepare......" Taiga commented. "It looks like that's the only device that's working in this warehouse....."

"Yeah, but the microphone is totally busted....." the conman tapped onto it. "I've been tuning it for a while now, to see if it picked up our voices but it didn't. No worries!! I will just fixed it up and it will be all good!!"

_'Like a little child.....'_ "But it appears there's nothing else important left here....." I stated. "We've searched every corners and top of the shelves, _nothing_.The disappearance folder and information about both academies is all there is to it....."

While still holding the device, Hisao walked towards the far back of the warehouse as Taiga and I followed him. At the back, there's a door, there's a safety lock on it. "What about this one?" Hisao inspected closely.

"_I'm sure you have eyes to clearly see it's locked_....."

"Hmmm...... _Let me try something_....." The conman put down his device and he pulled out his pocket knife, sliding the blade under the loose safety lock.

_"What are you-" _He slammed down the handle and the lock immediately came off, falling to the ground. Hisao hummed victoriously as he twisted his knife around, "Tada!! Neat trick, huh!"

Taiga was clapping, being perfectly amazed and I almost instinctively followed along. I shook my head of that thought, "W-Wait!! What if Monomyou kept that lock for a reason!? If they realized we're breaking in then-!!"

"No worries!! They won't notice it!!" Hisao said confidently while opening the door. "This whole place was opened up for us to explore anyways!! That means this room here is part of it as well!! I'm sure they want us to check it out!!"

_'I forgot how nerve-wrecking it is to have him around after a day of normalcy....'_

* * *

Inside the small room was a singular long wooden table and more shelves lining against the dry paint walls that's already peeled off. We did our usual inspection of the shelves, one by one. "Nothing...." I said first, jumping down from the stool. "Got nothing at my side...."

"Same here......" Taiga continued. "Maybe there really is nothing at all...."

"Seriously!?" Hisao came up empty-handed as well. "What a waste.... that neat trick from earlier was all for nothing in then end!!"

_'Did you really just drag us all the way here and break into a room just to show us that trick?'_

"Well, at least it did impressed you two, so not everything is a waste...." Hisao folded his arms, frowning. "I'm still disappointed though. I thought we have outsmarted that feline host this time but it seems they have caught onto us yet again, huh...."

"What makes you so sure that they're hiding something here anyways?" Taiga questioned.

"Good yet idiotic question!!" Hisao answered enthusiastically. "At this point, we're really close to sorting out our school memories!! So this host of ours must make sure they wouldn't leave too much revealing information out in the open like that!! So, they would have to hide the more exclusive ones in a secluded area!!"

"In this case, _they initially hid them here right before Hiroshi even discovered this place_....." I tried to follow his reasoning. "But they changed their mind and has to hid it somewhere else. Sao, you're sure about a clue hiding here to begin with...?"

"Hmm..... truth to be told, I don't know!" _At least he's being honest about it_. "However, do you guys remembered the newspaper article about our supposed deaths found in the library's archive? _Do you think it's really odd for Nao and Machi to discovered them a day later?_"

"Why is that an issue.....?" Leading him on, I get what he's saying but I just have to make sure he's not going to leave it like that.

"I just find it odd, a really passionate librarian who's all about the hard-work turned a blind-eye to a possible mystery clue residing in the other room,_ without him noticing_...." Hisao shrugged. "I always thought of him being a neat freak who likes to organised his stuffs, _despite his effort being unnecessary_....."

_'So you're saying...... those articles weren't there initially when Nao and Machi discovered the library?'_ is another thought of mine but I didn't say it out loud. I thought it was unlikely but if Hisao suggest there might be a pattern in how we even found our clues then, "You're suggesting that some of the clues we found might be _**fake**_, right?"

"Haha! Shino, your deduction skills never fail to amuse me!!" Hisao grinned. "Though, that's still a theory, isn't! It's best to leave it like that then!! Who knows, I could be wrong as well!!"

_There he goes again_. But... _he's acting really strange_, somehow. While he's being energetic right now, he wouldn't be this loud and brash, and he would be bit more standoffish when receiving such a cold reply from others- "_Sao-chin, don't tell me you're still sick_....."

He immediately flinched when he heard it. 

"_**Are you kidding me**_..... _Tai-chin, excuse us for a while_....." I sighed heavily, taking his hand as I pulled him away from the room despite his protests. "I know you want to check out the crypt that badly but I won't allow you. You will get even worst than before with how the condition is down there....."

"Ugh, getting caught and lectured at the same time.... this is the worst..." Hisao sobbed. "I wanna be useful, ya' know! I can't do that while I'm stuck in my bed with no one else to talk to!!"

_'Just say that you're lonely, you're making things difficult for yourself...'_ "Sao-chin....." I looked around to make sure it's just the both of us and we're out of the marksman's earshot. "..... You've done enough to help us so stop pushing yourself that hard...... It's kind of disheartening to see you're doing these sort of things, only to get shoved aside..... just get some rest, okay? Taiga and I will handle it on our own....."

"This sentimental talk again....." Hisao clicked his tongue. "You know I hate stuffs like this, Shino! It's boring to hear anyone being all mushy and sad over other stuffs! I can't function well enough around people like that!"

"_Then would you really prefer for people to stop caring about you?_" I stopped, staring back at him. "You wouldn't want that, right?"

He didn't reply but he pulled his arm away, to get away from my grip, as he pouted. "_Fine_... I will go back and rest till I'm all better. But!! Just so we're clear, you're not the one winning here!! I'm doing this just because I will get more sick hearing you like that!! When I fully recovered, I expect no mushiness and be prepared to be _reaaal_ annoyed!!"

_'..... Despite how he acts and said.... he's surprisingly overemotional yet really closed-off from others.....' _I watched as the conman stomped away, fuming._ '.... Hell, maybe I overvalued his feelings too much.... being tossed aside like that and not expecting any praises in the end.... is kind of cold..... but he choose not to be closed with others to begin with....'_

"Hey, Sumi.... can I ask you something....?" Taiga snapped me out of my trance.

"Ah, sure... what is it....?"

"Hmmm..... I'm not sure if it's just me or I'm just imagining stuffs again but..... _do you remember one of Monomyou's rules_....?" Taiga asked. "About property damage or something?"

"Right, that rule; **_inflicting any damage towards hotel properties is strictly forbidden_**.... or something like that....." I said it like a mantra in my head. But the more I think about it, the more I started to feel off about it, "_Then why didn't Monomyou showed up?_"

"There's no cameras around this building....." Taiga looked around some more. "So, that's one thing why Hisao was so sure to break down that door but..... _the bar most importantly_.... remember the pool table that he and I broke...? Wouldn't that be something that would caught their attention right away?"

"But the cameras at the bar weren't even working properly....." I explained. "Even till now, they're still broken. Monomyou didn't even managed to fix them...."_ **Could it be**..... **Monomyou cannot enter certain places for some reason**.....? 'Wouldn't that contradict Hisao's previous theory then....?'_

"Is it possible that _someone might have tampered Monomyou_....?" Taiga asked, but shake his head in the end. "N-No, forget about that one. There's no way that thing would allowed anyone to be near them....."

"It's still something to talk about......" I tried to cheer him up. "Maybe we can talk about it more with others.... they might gave us an answer or something..... for now, let's just... I don't know.... stroll around and clear our head for a bit from all that.......?"

"Oh!! I haven't seen that garden terrace thing that you mentioned yesterday!!" The marksman snapped his fingers. "I really wanna to see that place!! I'm a big fan of floral stuffs, ya' know!!"

"Good idea.... " I smiled. "Let's get going then.... I think it will be way more peaceful there than here....."

* * *

**[ Free Time Event ]**

The garden terrace is thankfully empty at this hour (almost close to evening, we really spent all that time at the warehouse). Taiga and I were sitting on the nearby bench, just appreciating the floral beauty before the marksman propped _that_ question, "Hey, Sumi.... just curious about this but _what's your type?_"

"M-My type....? You mean like a lover....?" He nodded back. Out of all things he could start with, a relationship question is something I wasn't entirely prepared for. _'My type... probably......'_ "...... I have an answer in my head but_ I think I would just described my ideal sparring partner instead_....."

"Haha! So you're not so sure about yourself as well!!"

"I don't really think about relationship that much.... I don't think I would even have any time for it either....." I laughed it off. Besides, I don't think I'm an ideal partner for anyone else. "What about you? It's only fair if you tell me yours....."

"Hmm..... someone who really cares, I guess....?" Taiga replied. "I don't know.... it depends really..... I don't know much about relationship but I always dreamed about it, you know!! Being a really loving relationship must have felt really great!! I've heard all kind of stories from my pops' friends!!"

_'This is.... getting awkward.....'_ I hope Taiga didn't noticed he's talking about relationships next to_ the very person who solved infidelity cases for a living_. "Y-You're really on-board with this..... but I think we're still too young for a real relationship...."

"Eh... really....?" Taiga blinked twice at those words. "I see.... because I remembered when I was hanging out my pops' army squad... they mostly met their match in a young age!! Mostly high-school sweethearts and stuffs like that!! That's why I really envied them! I wanna have that experience too!"

_Could it be, I might be grasping at straws here but;_ "Tai, could it be you're looking for a _companionship_ rather than a _full-fledged relationship....?"_

"What's the difference....?"

"No, it's just that..... the way you phrased it sounds like you wanted to be with someone you knew for a long time already....." I explained. "I-It's confusing, yeah, but that's what I thought you're looking for...."

"Hm.... yeah, it's pretty ideal if the person I really liked has been my friend for a long time but.... even my friends think I'm a scary person....." Taiga sighed. "They always said that when they asked what my ultimate talent is and freaked out immediately once they knew....."

As an _**Ultimate Marksman**_, it's tough not to get heavily judged for being skilled using a dangerous weapon at a very young age. Despite that, Taiga kept a very cheerful personality, making sure his friendly aura overshadowed that talent fact when talking to other people. _But there's something about his talent that really bothers me_......

"But at least your friends still wanted to hang out with you, right?"

"Nope, they immediately left once they found out about my ultimate talent....." _That really shot down my attempt to lighten up the mood_. "I mean, I knew they would do that but it still bugs me, you know? That's why I've been hanging around with pop's army friends all the time!! They've been kind enough to let me train alongside with them!! At least, they didn't shunned me away!!"

_'Taiga has been speaking about his father's friends really fondly so he might have not that many friends around his age while growing up.......'_ I suggested, "Maybe... I can act as your practice partner...?"

"W-What?"

_Okay, that sounds really weird when said out loud but-!_ "J-Just play pretend, I mean!! Like.... how would you act around your partner and something like that....." The marksman can come off as a little too strong for some people, _as I remembered our first meeting_. "Maybe with that, you can easily charmed anyone even with them knowing about your talent!"

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Taiga looked worried. "I wouldn't want you to play some matchmaker role or even fake a relationship just so I could be comfortable with someone else...."

"Hmmm... now that you put it that way.... it's not a really good idea...." I pondered. "I guess it really can't be helped. But you don't have to lose heart over it. I'm sure you will find your match soon!! You're a really handsome guy, after all. Who knows, there might be someone out there who followed the same wavelength as you...."

"I don't know what that means but I hoped so too!!" Taiga became excited all of the sudden. "Heck, maybe one day, you might end up being my best man, after all!!"

_He went even further 'till marriage!? He skipped an entire relationship building there!!_ "That's still too soon to decide! Why don't you just take it slow first!" I suggested, erratically. "Sometimes it won't last that long, you know!!"

_'Taiga is surprisingly naive in nature and it's so easy to tricked him to do something dangerous. Yeah, that incident at the gym did proved that as a fact. I better keep an eye on him in the future or else people will take advantage of that naivety.....'_

* * *

Taiga and I walked back to the hotel once the night arrived, talking about other things to fill the silence. It was when we're right in front of the hotel entrance that Taiga halted and pointed out, "Ren and Shoma.... _are they fighting over there_.....?"

Through the transparent glass door, the mortician and biologist looked like they were arguing about something, with Shoma being the most heated one over it,_ 'T-This again.... maybe I shouldn't have left them this morning after all-!!'_

"I have to go and check on them...."

"Umm... alright, I will be right behind you if things got really messy afterwards...."

"Ren!! Shou!!" I called out to them loudly once I entered the reception area, heavy steps as I approached them. "What's going on? Why are you two fighting over here?"

"Sumi, impeccable timing...." Renma sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Please tell Shoma that he's being ridiculous with his plan.... he's been like this ever since last night....."

_'Last night? When Monomyou came in...?' _I turned to the biologist, "Shoma, what happened? Did Monomyou said or did something to you....?"

"This critter just asked a simple question.... _with a more favorable outcome_...." Never thought I would be really glad to hear him speak like that, _if it weren't for the forceful tone_. "With each trials, we, critters, get new places to swim through and more puzzles to our memories.... so...._ if one of us, critters, could sacrifice to get our next puzzle-_"

"Wha-!? _Sacrifice!?_" I didn't mean to cut him off, _but what he's implying here is clearly not good_. "Shou, that's not an option we can just go along with it. That's still playing into that cat's favor!!"

"But this critter suggest that I will be the one committing the crime, _to myself_...." he said solemnly. "In that way.... no one would get hurt, right...?"

"A suicidal move isn't the best option to make here!!" Taiga refuted, clearly bewildered by the biologist's words.

"Shou-chin, you've already made Ren-chin mad and everyone else worried about you two fighting this morning. If everyone found out about this, they will surely be against it. You should know that while there might be no culprit of this crime you're going to commit.... Monomyou would still bring in a substitute which could still be anyone of us....." I stated. "In a way, _you've already indirectly hurt everyone else here with this decision to solve our missing memories... which could still be for nothing_....."

"There's a difference between being a martyr and an idiot, Shoma...." Taiga continued, with a stern look on his face. "And it's still a huge gamble you're trying to make here..... especially when you guys are arguing here where Monomyou could clearly see and hear you..... _they might have the idea and decided to mess with us again_....."

Shoma didn't say anything, he looked away as if he's ashamed from even talking, clutching onto his other arm for comfort._ A defense mechanism_. He know he's being outnumbered here so he just stand back and stayed quiet, _witnessing his own decision being scrapped in an instant_.

"......_Monomyou!!_"

"Yes, yes!! Your lovely host is here to serve you!!!" The cat host appeared out of thin air, immediately trembled under the glares from two other people in the room. "W-What's the matter!? Got any complaints against me or something!?"

"_Just a request_....." I kneel down to meet the cat host's eye-level and asked. "I would like ask for your permission to have Shoma sleep in my room for tonight and Renma sleep in Taiga's room as well....."

"Eeek-!?_ A boy sleeping in a girl's room!?_ How scandalous!!!" Monomyou shrieked. "That's quite a high request, ya' know!? This ain't like your typical rom-com show, this is a thriller killing game show, we can't let that confused, ya' know!?"

"Stop saying that as if we're gonna do something unspeakable...." I sighed at their obnoxious imagination. "Think of it as _rehabilitation_..... Taiga and I will be monitoring them for a while..... even if this is a killing game...._ it would be messy if things got out of hand_....."

"Eh, fair point....." Monomyou replied. "Fine then, _permission granted for the both of you!!_ But if I spotted some naughty stuffs going on then I won't hesitate to kick ya' asses!!! Well then, have a lovely night, dear guests of mine!!"

Just like that, the cat disappeared. I immediately got up and turned to Taiga, "I hope you're okay with that sudden plan..... sorry, I thought it up without asking you beforehand...."

"Nah, it's okay....." the marksman crossed his arms together. "I don't mind looking after another person this time.... _especially when they've been causing trouble for each other behind our backs_....."

"I apologized that our feud caused such a rift in our group...." Renma bowed. "It's partially our mistake for keeping this problem to ourselves...."

"Sorry, Sumi....." Shoma apologized as well. A_nd I'm grateful that they're being considerate right now._

"I am upset that you two have been keeping this from us but it's not entirely your fault, alright?" I gave them a reassuring smile. "It's probably that host's fault for giving you that idea.... so don't beat yourself over it......" _'Higura's advice really did helped me in the end.....' _"Let's just retired to our rooms for now.... Ren, Shou, if you want, you can call it truce now or even tomorrow morning once everything calmed down between the two of you....." 

"This critter needs more time for himself....." the biologist suggested. "This entire noon..... this critter has been going through some heavy current that I could hardly breathe....."

"Ah, you're still stressed out? Then tomorrow it is then..... are you okay with that, Ren-chin?" Renma gave a affirming nod. That settles it. I'm glad that I actually reached out to them this time unlike earlier morning. I wouldn't want to blame Hisao for being too forceful just now but at least they haven't done anything drastic yet. "Alright.... it's going to be nighttime soon, let's just go back to our rooms now....."

* * *

_"Did this critter made Sumi really angry.....?" _

"Huh....?" I've just got out of the shower and changed into my night wear when Shoma asked all of the sudden. Drying my hair off as I placed the towel over the chair, I replied, "No... I'm not really that angry..... I'm just worried about you two, you know? I thought something happened to you guys while I wasn't paying attention.... _and I really don't want that to happened again_...."

"Nothing happened.... it's just this critter's doing....." Shoma pouted. "Hmn, this critter doesn't want to be hated by Sumi and Ren..... this critter just wanted to offer a solution......"

"From my viewpoint.... _it's a terrible solution_....." I refuted, without trying to sweeten my words. "And you knew that too, Shoma..... we can get our memories back without relying too heavily in some coincidences that Monomyou set up for us. _It's just a bait_, at this point. And like Amane said before,_ we can't be easily swayed by sweet promises_....."

_Slowly learning_, huh. In the end, I took everyone's advice by heart. Seeing Shoma making a similar mistake from before must have made me remembered those words.

"I wanna apologize Ren properly tomorrow...." He sprawled all over the bed. "Then... there will be no more fighting between the three of us!! We all swim in the same ocean all this time.... we can't be separated!!!" 

"Glad you came to your senses...." I chuckled at his words. "Alright, it's your turn to use the bathroom...."

_"This critter will just swim early in the morning....."_

"_Wha_\- that's not good, Shou-chin!! If we're going to sleep on the same bed, then I suggest you should take a bath first!!"

...

............

...

_'Geez, he keeps on refusing and talking back a lot but at least he did it by himself....'_ Shoma is sleeping soundly right now, as I just sat next to him. The nighttime announcement just played few minutes ago and the biologist immediately fallen asleep once his head hits the pillow below. _'I wonder how Taiga and Renma are doing...? Knowing Taiga, he probably asked the mortician some spiritual stuffs.... I hope he can sleep well enough tonight.....'_

_'Today wasn't the serene-filled day I was hoping for... we got more questions popping up about Monomyou's intentions right now..... even if we don't do the next motive thing..... there's still something going on about them.... is this what they're aiming for....? Were they expecting for us to turn against each other....?' _"..... it's best to keep our guards up...." I said to no one in particular, and drifted into slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
Amane have composed music for artists and idol groups yet he would never proudly admit it. Despite this, people still know it's his work due to his distinctive style and genre (Baroque-pop like ALI PROJECT). In addition, Nao have helped before in the past on certain pieces (hence their first chapter interaction at the bar).
> 
> Here's what I imagined what his songs be like, [this](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/c/c5/%E7%A4%BC%E8%B3%9B%E6%AD%8C_Sample.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20170818031744) and also [this](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/e/e3/Last_Lament_Sample.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20170818031756) (ft. my HC seiyuus for Amane and Shoma lmao)
> 
> Is this my excuse to geek out my favorite music genre? MAYBE


	23. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Daily Life III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Pair of cards lined up perfectly, only to be blown away by the strong wind and knocking them down....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all, can you believe i wasn't prepare for this

_"Sumi, this critter deeply regrets his actions....."_

_"No,no, Shou-chin, what you did wasn't really a big deal, you were asleep most of the time so please get up from the floor....."_

To say I wasn't used to waking up with a company was understandable, especially since our first slumber party before, I was the only one who woke up late and alone. So, _imagine my shock when I found a certain biologist's arm sprawled across my neck without a care, pushing me down onto the mattress_.

The morning announcement played out as usual, an annoying morning greeting by the host who reminded us about the labyrinth, I didn't give that sentence too much thought as I was too focused on the pressure around my neck.

_If my slight screaming didn't wake Shoma up immediately then my overreaction of pushing him off the bed certainly did._

And now he's on the floor (still laid out like a starfish) apologizing profusely for something he did in his sleep that's not even harmful. Not gonna lie, _I feel like the biggest idiot here for reacting so strongly to it_.

"Like I said, it's not a big deal and I'm the one who should be apologizing!" this kind of banter seems familiar,_ the same old banter right before hell breaks loose_. "Shou-chin, I'm really sorry for pushing you off so please get up!!"

"If Sumi-critter insists...." Shoma gets up without a problem, still looking a bit sulky. "That surprised me.... for once, this critter was really in peace for the entirety of the night..... so to only be woken up by force....."

"I'm..... _really sorry_......." I've been saying that a lot to him for the past few days. "Anyways.... it's already morning so I will take a shower first, okay? It won't take long...."

_"Can this critter finally swim in the pool for a quick cleanse after this?"_

_"Shou-chin, if you value your skin, then I suggest not to do that...."_

* * *

The biologist knew by now the being resistant is a futile attempt and so he took a proper bath, got dressed into his scientist-like getup after me. Drying off his hair with a towel (to make up for pushing him) one last time, I realized he's been staring at me intensively, "What's wrong?"

"Hmmm, this critter has been wondering for a few days now....." Shoma started. ".... Sumi's like a mother to everyone else, huh....."

"_A mother_\- well, I'm trying to look out for everyone...." I commented,_ a mother_, huh? Truthfully, I never see my mentor as my parental figure so I wouldn't understand this parental vibe that Shoma's getting from myself here. "I don't know what else to say about that......"

"It reminds this critter of their own older species, always clinging to the young ones.....!"

So, Shoma's parents always dotes on him. He must be an only child then. _A successful son to a nuclear family. Must have been nice_. "It's just a simple way to show kindness. Anyways, you hair is dried enough. I think it's fine if you want to dip-in and dip-out of the pool now..." _or even dip-in and spent the entire afternoon in the pool for his case_.

"_Yay_..._!_"

Even in that tone, it's still a very enthusiastic reply.

"We should get going now...." I opened the door, waiting for him to get up. "You need to apologize to Ren-chin before you can officially start your day, right?"

Shoma nodded as he stood up, filled with vigorous energy as he walked away from the bed and into the hallway outside, "Ren needs a proper apology from this critter here. What should this critter do to present it? _Should I bare my form as I beg?_"

"_I don't think you have to be naked_-"

"Ah."

The moment that line came out of my mouth, the other door opened up and two other people revealed themselves, _Mitsuru and Higura_.

Ah. _Crap- _Wait, why are _**they **_together?

"Ahahahaha.... what kind of situation is this...?" Mitsuru tries to laugh it off. She tries to, but she probably already interpreted that last line in a _very different way_. "A-Also, good morning, you two!! Shoma, you looked pretty well today! That's good!!"

_Immediate deflection._

"_Okay_, since no one's gonna fucking talk about the elephant in the hallway here so I will be the one starting it...." Higura sighed, glaring at the both of us. "Why are you guys together and what the hell were you guys talking about? Have you two been fucking?"

Crude as usual. "No, _clearly not. _Why would that be the case when I've just talked about _'not being naked'_?

"Hmm, I don't know, some kinky stuffs you guys are into? Guess it's just you guys being fucking weird as usual....." _I'm getting used to hearing that_. "So why was Shoma in your room?"

"_Rehabilitation_......" I gave the same answer from last night talk with Monomyou. "Taiga and I managed to work through their argument, the reason why they were acting really cold yesterday. But taking one step further, I decided that both of us watched over them for one night only, just in case something bad might happened to them...."

"Ah, so Sumi and Taiga are acting as wardens for Renma and Shoma overnight!!" Mitsuru seems to get the clearer picture now. "I got it! Phew!! At first, I thought something serious must have happened!!"

_That's..... already the serious part?_

"So what's the problem?" Higura asked, not bothering to correct the other's statement. "What's with this urchin's head that made the other ghostfucker so heated?"

"_That's_......" My eyes wandered off a bit, to Shoma's direction. Indifferent, it doesn't look like he's being bothered by it anymore. In fact, he's allowing me to give them a more proper explanation, "Shoma asked Monomyou a question.... that whether or not we would get more clues to our school memories if more locations opened up.... and unfortunately that gave him the wrong idea...."

"This critter would like to apologize to everyone...." He bowed down. "Critters such as Ren and I have been causing problems for everyone but we, critters, didn't meant to..... our bad nature have been spread and affected everyone else....."

"As cryptic as you are, at least you apologized for whatever shit you're trying to pull......" Higura brought up an accurate point. "As long as you're not physically hurting anyone else here, we're not gonna gang up on you...."

_Almost. Shoma almost planned that._

"Does this mean you and Renma are all buddy-buddy now!?" Shoma shook his head and this made Mitsuru pouted. "Come on now, I will be your support!!!" The cosmetologist got her headstrong attitude on and dragged the biologist with her by the hand. "I'm gonna make sure you two fully understand each other, no barriers! No take backs!! No miscommunication!! Just full disclosure!!"

And just like, she spouted more encouraging words with Shoma dangled right behind her, wishing for the other to slow down and wanting her death grip on him to loosened up a bit. The scene goes on until the elevator doors closed after them and it's just Higura and I left in the hallway.

"Mitsuru never fails to amaze me....." I said, placing my ElectroID inside my jacket. "Her enthusiasm is quite contagious....."

"But that idiot has no boundaries....." the designer counters that positive point immediately. "No matter what you tell her or trying to prove her wrong, she never gives up about that brimming with positivism bullshit....."

"I sure hope you know the meaning of that word you're using there....." The cutting-edge words that Higura used has become dull enough to notice sooner. "Now then, _care to explain why you two were together as well?_"

"Why are you interrogating us as if we're the ones doing something awful? Bugger off, would you?" Tough defenses for someone who threw out obscene accusations first. "Just see it as whatever you want, I'm tired of explaining this shit all over again....."

"I thought it would be fair if you tell us your situation since we tell you two ours but if it's _that personal_ then I would end my prying nature there....." I told reassuringly. "Because, we have more serious matters to worry about;_ the labyrinth_....."

"Finally, a more serious conversation I can get behind....." Higura throw his hands up. Both of us entered the elevator as we continue our chat as it descends, "So, what's your verdict this time, '_Ms. Know-it-all'? _My guess is that you want us to ignore it....."

"I'm not sure if that's wise enough to do... or even consider it as our only option...." I claimed. "Someone and I mean, _someone_, will take that chance while we're not looking..... even though we swear to each other we won't......"

"So.... no chances to ignore this shit...." he sounded so resigned to this idea. "But can't blame ya'..... what I've learned so far in this fucked-up killing game is _that people can be scummy liars, even those you considered to be your friends_......"

"_Are you still mad?_" I asked.

"I don't know, _aren't you as well ever since?_"

I was referring to _Oozora Saku_. He was referring to _Ishimoto Nao and Takara Homare._

In the end, _both of us were being lied to horribly._

_Can't say for sure we were in our similar darkest moments before as well......._

A noise sounded off and the elevator doors opened. Higura and I silently made our way to the dining hall. His silence is enough proof that he's getting comfortable around someone else. If he doesn't like anyone, he would just bring up random topics just to fill the awkwardness or even spout more insults just for them to go away.

But, to even say we're getting along to anybody else does seem a little bit of a stretch.

The dining hall, however, has gotten a lot more merrier than yesterday-

_"Say it again! Put your entire feelings in your own words!!!"_

_"This critter would like to apologize to Oki Renma!! For being selfish and inconsiderate of others!!"_

_"M-Mitsuru, I can assure you the initial apology was enough to forgive him!! There's no need to make him shout with all his might-"_

Thankfully, Shoma ditched the_ 'bare form' _plan and the usual '_dogeza_' pose has been chosen instead with some help from Mitsuru for his word choice. Not sure if this made Renma easily forgive him or just made him scared of what he's gonna do next if he doesn't.

"Aaaannnnd it became hectic......" Higura said with a dejected sigh.

"I think... that's a given already...." I said with a playful smirk._ 'It's more better than a gloomy morning after all.....' _"Renma... are you satisfied with his apology now....?"

"Ah...! Sumi...!" Renma looked grateful that I'm here. "I wouldn't say I need to be satisfied for me to forgive Shoma but it's really unnecessary for him to do something like this-!"

"Nonsense!! The only way you can forgive someone is to publicly embarrassed them for their wrongdoings!!" Mitsuru triumphantly laughed. "From there on, there would be no consideration of betraying a friend's trust anymore!!"

_Oh, so that's what she's aiming for...._

Besides the scene beholding in front of us with its three actors (Shoma, Renma and Mitsuru), the rest were seated at the dining table, being amused by what's in front of them. Taiga and Hiroshi, side-by-side, were carefree laughing. Hisao and Hibiki continued with their chat as if nothing major going on around them but I do see them breaking character once they heard something amusing.

"Ah, Sao-chin, are you well enough......_or_......" I brought my hand to his forehead once he turned around to see me. It was a sudden action, he almost try to slap it away but didn't, "Okay, you're actually better now...."

"Yeah, yeah, I don't want Shino to keep on teasing me about my own weakness so I actually recover some HP to finally beat down anyone who talks shit about me!" Good,_ even his attitude came back unfortunately_. I sat next to him as he continued, "Also, what's the sudden skin contact! You're getting bolder when I wasn't around!! I heard that you and Shoma slept together!"

"Stop making it sound like we're doing something indecent...." As if that's not already somebody's (Mitsuru and maybe Higura) job to do so. "It's for safety reason..... and Shoma has been stressing out since yesterday morning so he needed someone around to vent at....."

"We've heard from Mitsun that you and Taiga helped to solved their own issues....." Hibiki adds in. "How admirable that you two were dedicated enough to help them......"

"It's more like Taiga got dragged into this mess and forced to handle that responsibility....." the marksman just gives me a thumbs-up as if saying _'It's no problem at all!'_. "But I'm glad we got to work it out before it turned into something disastrous....."

"It's not that serious to begin with. And I don't think people like Renma and Shoma would have the will to continue this feud in silence anyways, they're too soft-hearted for that....." Hisao said dismissively. "But more importantly!!! Did everyone hear what that cat host said!_ About the labyrinth again!_"

Once again, the cat brought up _that place_ to get our attention, so that we could start considering about it seriously. We're trying really hard to resist, ignoring it for the meantime until we get a definitive solution.

"I say, _we should send out two people to go and investigate!!_" the conman suggested.

_And_.

_It's not that terrible of an idea, but we just don't know who to even consi-_

"And that will be Shino and I since I'm too lazy to wait for you lambs to come forth!!"

\- _Never mind then, it makes perfect sense why he would even suggest that idea._

"Aren't you being too forceful here?" Hiroshi asked worryingly. "I mean, you did the same thing as yesterday and you barely gave Sumi a choice right now-"

"It's okay... I wanted to investigate that place as well....." I replied back, before Hisao can even make a snarky remark to get everyone else mad or feel guilty. A common pattern I see that conman is trying to make. "I think it's a safe choice that Sao and I should go ahead and see to this....."

"Well, you heard it from her!!" Hisao exclaimed. "Shino is agreeing to this! So don't tell me later that she's not on board with this idea to begin with!! I don't wanna get the blame if something bad happened, ya' know!"

_"We can still blame you for suggesting that idea though....."_

As if nothing happened, Hisao freely paraded around as usual. Making decisions that's often risky and ridiculous, but this time, _it looks like he has a plan that he's trying to do here_.

Breakfast came and went by, Shoma and Renma made up and now talking together as usual with bright smiles on their face. Everything went on as usual, as if nothing happened. After that, Hisao and I wasted no time and immediately went to rose garden park, leaving others to their own devices.

* * *

"Eh... so this is the garden thing, huh....." Hisao spins around, taking in the beautiful scenery before him. "It's flashy alright!! And quite deceiving as well!! I bet that Monomyou introduced this just to caught us off-guard!!"

"So were you serious about the _labyrinth?_" I asked, crossing my arms together. "Because you're planning to go the crypt as well, right? So which one do you want to go-"

"The crypt, of course!!" He loudly exclaimed. "I want to see this mysterious door with my own eyes!! Maybe I can get some inspirations from it!!"

_'With the word **hope **being used, it might be related to **some sort of an organisation**'_, I remembered that's what he said before when I told him about that place. _Another_ _strange theory he came up with_. Yet again, he knew a lot more than I do here so it's not my place to say he's just as clueless as everyone else is. I guided him towards the crypt, down the spiral staircase and into the chilling environment of the underground passage.

"Well, it does feel like we're touching history!! But they don't look that old!!" was the first thing he said when he saw it. "Now, now, we're here for the door so I'm gonna go ahead and inspect it closely!!"

_"Don't touch anything or else it might trigger something....."_

There's nothing much for the conman to see and study something From what we discovered when it first opened, it's just that, that's all there is to it. Nothing special, _nothing to it anymore_. Even the Latin phrase doesn't hold any significance-

"Remember Monomyou's rule about ending the killing game? That, _there should be left with two people still standing?_"

"Huh...?" The rule they've stated.... since we first got here?

"The phrase you've said before.... matches that rule so maybe... _this is our way out supposedly_....." Hisao stopped for a while, before trialling on. "But that's just an assumption! Who knows, maybe this is just a decoration, a desperate attempt to make us think there's a way out!!"

I hate thinking about Monomyou who would actually do that to us. Dangling one last hope before us and then just snatched away without mercy. Just for us to fall into...._ despair? ... Is that it....? Like Nao did...? Wait..._

Something clicked within me. Something from the last trial... _suddenly came back to me._

"_Hisao, you lied_......" The words made it out easily. "_You knew about the **Ultimate Despair**, didn't you?_"

A huge gamble I've taken when I asked that, because Hisao is armed, he armed with the pocket knife that's he clearly skilled at using it. While I can fight, it's limited if I'm trying to be careful about my injury.

"Huh? What do you mean, Shino?" He asked. No innocent tone, no playful masks, just a serious face with a genuine tone.

"You said it before when we discovered our student profiles.... _you've only **heard **of the title, Ultimate Despair_... yet once Nao was found guilty.... _you've **said** something about Ultimate Despair and their followers having no morals and isn't human_. That was before we were given our memories about the graduation..... so how do you know that about the _Ultimate Despair_, Hisao?"

Reverted back to using his first name with no cutesy twist to it must have left him in quite a shock. Days of playing around with name combination have become norm to him so Hisao must have had a hard time trying to think properly now.

"You don't have to be concern about that, Shino!!" His sweet tone is back. "Besides, doesn't it seem pretty obvious that that's what despair is all about! You know, being batshit insane with no purpose?"

"I.... wanted to believe you _but_........" But? But what? _What's stopping me now?_

"Ah, I see....." Hisao sighed, his frame relaxed a bit. "I'm disappointed, I thought for once you would listen to my words this time.... but I guess even you have limits to dealing with crooked people. That's too bad!! I really thought we could be partners, for like, forever, ya' know!!"

"It's not that-"

"Shino, you're curious about me, right? You want to know if there's more to me than just someone with bad jokes and outrageous actions, right!" he said. "Well, here's a fact that you might have already noticed like you always do, something that has to do with someone like Nao, that accursed thing...... _**I can't stand people playing the victim, same goes to you as well, Shino**_......"

My heart sank immediately, something about what he said.... _doesn't sound like a lie_.

"_Take it as what you wanted to see it as_. The labyrinth inspection wasn't part of my agenda today actually... I only want to come here and probably discuss it with you but...._ I guess you lost interest in me already_....." he commented, looking disinterested. "But I'm sure you would be really grateful soon that I'm the one who said that to you first....."

And like that he left, without a word about the labyrinth or anything, _he just left_.

* * *

"Eh? Sumi, where did you came from?"

"Huh... oh, _you two_....." I don't know how long I spend time alone at the crypt, trying to recollect my thoughts and regaining my composure back. With a sinking feeling inside, I forced myself to walk back and met up with Mitsuru and Higura, "I... just got back from inspecting the crypt once more...."

"Huh? What happened to the labyrinth plan? Did that fucking conman ditched you at the last minute again?"

I balled my fist, nails digging deep until it leave reddish marks on my palm, "No... we changed our mind.... we decided not to inspect it....."

Higura's eyes narrowed once I've said that, _like he was suspecting something else is going on_. But he decided not to push it, "Well, not like we wanted you two to try and do anything stupid.... it's probably just a shitty reward anyways......"

"Yeah, Monomyou is tricky like that, huh....." Mitsuru pondered. "But I'm sure it's nothing!! As long as we're all alright, then it's a-okay!!"

_As long as we're alright, it doesn't matter._

"I guess so....." I chuckles. "So what are two doing here? It's quite a romantic scene to see you two here in garden...."

"_Wha-!!_ Don't get this whole thing mixed up, Sumi!!" Mitsuru denies it straightaway while Higura just gives up early. "We're just having a lovely discussion from one friend to another!!"

There's no use teasing them about it, "I'm just joking around. I will be going now. I wanna sleep in for today....."

"Alright then.... _take care_....." Higura sounded weird for a moment there. _No_, _it's not weird at all_. That's just concern in his voice clearly showing. He knows but he wouldn't want to bring it up in front Mitsuru. _Because this is Hisao we're talking about and Higura wouldn't want her to face him_.

Right after that person left, I seriously thought about what he said to me and what I did here for the past few days. Yet, it keeps on bringing me to that time before Nao's trial. When I blamed myself for Amane and Machi's deaths. The conman agreed with my statement at that time...... _so was he actually pissed at me for taking the fault here_....?

"I don't understand....." I muttered. "_I seriously don't understand what he meant by that_......"

_"Understand what, Sumi-critter?"_

"Ah, Shoma..." I halted, in front of the hotel entrance. While I wanted to be alone for a while, it doesn't hurt to have a small and short talk with a friend, right? "I see you really did plan to dip-in for the afternoon, huh?"

"Just for a while!!" Shoma grinned, pushing himself up as he exited the pool. At least he took off his coat this time, "This critter is planning to meet up with Ren for more investigation time!! This time, we're inspecting the crypt again! Would Sumi like to join us...?"

It's been a while since I've last hang out with them. Since I've been busy with solving the mysteries of this place. So.... _a little hangout wouldn't hurt, even though I'm going back to that place_. "Sure, you're planning to change out of your clothes, right?"

_"Hmm...... these fabric will dry up once we go there, no?"_

_"Shou-chin, you will catch a cold..... I will go get your clothes and you can just change in the hotel's restroom......"_

* * *

_'Thank goodness for Shoma inviting me out here at least..... even for a small talk... I need to take my mind off of that conversation really badly.....'_

Shoma and I started to talk about miscellaneous stuffs, even though the biologist keeps on talking about sea critters as usual about his..... _experiments_, "It's quite fun playing with them.... especially during dissection....."

_Right, because Shoma's interest is collecting live specimen_\- "That's quite cruel for someone like you, Shou-chin. Although, it's quite weird you would call everyone as 'critters', especially to people who you're closed with, when you're known to do _those kind of stuffs to them_...."

"We're not that much different, are we, Sumi.....?" he asked curiously. "After all..... we are all one living organism......there's no reason to treat them any different....!"

Is he suggesting.... _that he might be alright with dissecting people while they're alive as well?_ No, no, no, that's absurd. Shoma's eccentric but he's not that mad enough to do it. _While he did assist Renma at the mortuary but that's different! _"I-I see.... but you do have some that you would keep in your aquarium, right! Like a pet or something?"

"Ah no, I'm not interested in keeping critters as pets. They're too bothersome to take care of......"_ And he actually lost me there. _

The familiar sight of the rose garden entered our view, Mitsuru and Higura were already gone and probably went somewhere else. _'Guess my comment from before really got through their head, huh....? Must have them too embarrassed to stay there any longer.....'_

Shoma already went ahead towards spiral staircase as a thought struck me, _'.... Why the crypt again...? Why is Renma so interested in that place that he has to visit them twice in a row.....? Did he find something interesti-'_

My thoughts were cut short when I heard a scream, a scream from _below_, "_Shoma!?_"

Sprinted off, I skipped a step or two as I descended down quickly to the source of that scream. _'Hurry, hurry, hurry!! He's in danger, I must hurry!!'_. Once I made it, I saw Shoma was on the ground, sitting upwards, hands on his chest as if he's clawing his lungs out, "Shoma, what happen-"

I looked to where he's staring at-

........

_I wanna stop dreaming-_

_Am I dreaming?_

_When did I passed out in the middle of the afternoon?_

_Please, I wanna stop dreaming. This has to be a dream, right? I wanna w**ake up from it. Please. Please. Please. Stop it-**_

_ _

"_**Renma**_......"

Small steps forward as I collapsed onto my knees, next to Shoma who can't get his words out at the sight before him;_ Renma lying down on the floor, facing the ceiling, something wrapped around his neck leaving long streaking line. His face contorted in pain, eyes wide open and his skin turned bluish-purple._

.......

_I wanna **<strike>die</strike>** vomit._

_Why did this happened?_

I hear footsteps behind me but I was so focused on the body in front of me to the point I didn't even flinch when someone pulled up the hood of my jacket and used it to cover my entire head, "_Why_....."

_"I'm sorry, Shino.... I overdid it......" That's_.... _Sao-chin_. He's actually here.....? Did he actually hear Shoma scream...? How....?

Hisao sighed, placing his hand on top of my head and the other is rested on top of Shoma's. Despite his reluctant nature to get along with the conman, he didn't snapped, moved away or told him off for it._ He doesn't care about his presence here right now._

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

** _"Ladies and Gentleman!! It seems like we have a new murder case!!! Please gather around in the catacombs to start clue hunting!!"_ **

"It will take the others maybe ten minutes to get here so...." he started to patted our heads simultaneously, as an act of comfort. "If you guys need to let it out, _then now it's a prefect time to do so_....."

In an instant, _Shoma breaks down_. He brought his hands to his face as if to stop himself from crying in front of others but failed, hiccuping through his silent sobs. Droplets of tear fell to the dirt ground below. Hisao stepped back as if to give us space, he has no experience with comforting others at their toughest moments. And so he did what he always do, stepped aside and observed. 

"_Shou-chin_......." I heard my voice wavered and immediately I started heaving.

_I **cried**. I actually **cried**._

_I've never once cried in front of anyone else_. _Not my caretaker, not my mentor, not even my sister. I never wanted to show this side of mine to anyone else._

_But this...._

_This......_

.......

Slowly, I huddled closer to Shoma, hugging him closer, bringing his head close to my chest, _an engulfing warmth_. "_I'm sorry_......" I don't care how repetitive it is._ I wanna say it. I wanna say it until this guilty feeling of mine just vanished._ "_I'm sorry, I'm sorry_......."

_Who am I asking for forgiveness from?_

_... Renma? (for not getting here sooner?)  
_

_... Shoma? (for forcing him to do such a minor thing? For delaying our time?)_

_... Hisao? (for taking the blame again?)_

** _I don't know._ **

That's all I know what to say;_ **I. Just. Don't. Know**_**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
This will be explored more in future stories but as hinted from previous chapters, Sumire's relationship with her 'sister' and mentor/'father' are quite different yet both of them are still neglectful towards her.  
The reason why she even became a private investigator was also hinted towards her trying to impress her mentor as well.


	24. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Deadly Life - Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation started yet the investigator has another plan in mind and needed another help of an unlikely person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Happy birthday, Hoshino Sumire...." I said to myself as I gave the said birthday character with an investigation chapter of the death of her closest friend.  
God the timing actually made me laugh.

The moment everyone arrived, Shoma and I immediately recovered, we stopped crying and tried to put on a brave face, even with puffy, red eyes. Hiroshi and Hibiki were the first ones to arrived, then Taiga and then, Mitsuru and Higura for last. The designer was about to say something vulgar before he looked at us, and he immediately shut his mouth.

With everyone already arrived, that's when the damned cat appeared, "Wahooo!!!! What a fantastic development!!! Exceptionally_ mya_verlous!! _Eek-!! I stuttered!!!_"

_Same tone, same speech. _I'm getting sick of it, "We don't have time listening to your speech about this. _**Just give us the thing and then leave**_...."

"_Haaaah!?_" Monomyou showed off their claws as they spatted, "You got a lot of nerves for talking back to your host like that! Ya' know, being an absolutely smartass who think they could do whatever they want against their host's wish can be seen as an actual crime here so don't be too surprised if I decided to execute you and the blackened after the trial!!"

"_**Maybe I wanted you to do that**_....." Everyone's eyes widened, including Shoma and Hisao. I cleared my throat as I continued, ".... _But I will bite my tongue for now_. If you want us to entertain you so badly... then it makes sense for my part to act villainous towards you, isn't?"

"Nyaaargh!? It seems the conman and the investigator has swapped personalities all of the sudden!?" Hisao looked away once our eyes met. "Guess this is the true heated battle between two geniuses!!_ Alrighty then!!_ Here's the _**Monomyou Record File No. 4**!!_ Everyone! I will be looking forward to this trial!! _The true climax to the story!!_ _Nyahahaha!!_"

I wasted no time to wait for the feline host to disappear, I immediately went to inspect the body. _Renma's body_.... _'**Oki Renma**, the **Ultimate Medium**... also known as the **Ultimate Mortician** before...... is truly dead.........'_ "I hope you're resting somewhere in heaven, Ren-chin..... _may we be able to avenge your cruel demise_....."

Renma said that to Homare and now I've said it to him. _Because I'm gonna make sure his will be the final death of this fucking killing game...._

"_**Time of death**_ is _**1:15 pm in the afternoon**_. _**Unknown place of death**_....." I began listing what's on the record file. "_**Cause of death is asphyxiation, there are no other external or internal injuries**_....."

"Another unknown place......" Mitsuru pointed out the glaring point in the file. "So, _it's possible he's not killed here_.....?"

"No.... _no, that's impossible_...." Hiroshi furrowed his brows. "Because I was outside the whole time, taking an afternoon jog around the place, _from the warehouse to the hotel_.... _and not once I've seen Renma passing by any of the places_....."

_He never passed-by Hiroshi....? _That's already a problem. "Is there anything else you've noticed? Anything strange?"

"I've been guarding the warehouse as usual after I had my breakfast....." Hiroshi explained. "_The warehouse is still securely locked_ and _I still have the keys with me this morning _so there's no way anyone could get in there. Then I went on an afternoon jog and never encountered anyone, _except for Higura and Mitsuru who got back from the garden!_"

And with that, I took note of _**Hiroshi's account**_. That's when I noticed Hisao taking his leave, "_Sao-chin, where are you going?_"

He stopped, "..... I've decided to leave this case entirely in your hands, Shino. I feel like I will get cursed by Renma if I meddled in too much..... But I'm sure you will get your answers without my help!"

"You will end up being a suspect, you know?" I told him, honestly. "If this is about _**just now**_ then.... just so you know,_ I'm not angry at you_.... but if there really is some external force that forbids you from investigating, then _I won't stop you_....."

"You're too kind, Shino!" His playful tone is back, I almost let out a sigh of relief. "Your first sentence might be truthful yet you're saying that last sentence as if you're wishing that it wasn't me!"

"_Is that too much of** a hopeful wish**?_"

"....... _I wouldn't cling onto **hope** too much if I were you, Shino_. You will be disappointed instead....." that's all he said before he left the catacombs, _for good_. The rest didn't budged or even protest that he should stay, or even anything else. Everyone was okay with him leaving this case entirely.

"Hibiki.... you have something to say about Hisao. right?" She immediately flinched. _Bingo_. She was making that face, wanting to speak up but couldn't. _Because of a certain person of interest still present_. "He just left so you can say what you've been meaning to....."

"Just..." she trailed off. "Last night, a bit after the nighttime announcement..... I was checking the kitchen since I will be in charge for breakfast just now..... _and **I saw Hisao leaving the front entrance and heading somewhere else.**_....."

" I see.... thank you, Hibiki, for telling us that...." _**Hibiki's account **_might offered us a bit more insight of Hisao's overall plan. _A plan_. There's no way that person would easily leave without having a little bit of involvement. "How about everyone else? Did anyone noticed anything strange happening this afternoon...?"

"Nothing useful at our side....." Higura started. "Right after your tease about me and Mitsun, _we left to hang out at the bar_... though only for a while before I leave to go and rest in my room..... but considering that rock-climber's statement, we never even run into Renma on our way there....."

"I can back that up!!" Mitsuru nodded. "We haven't seen him since breakfast. I was at the bar this whole time after Higura left.... _although, I did hear some weird noises inside that place but I couldn't find the source of it anywhere_......"

_ _

_**Mitsuru and Higura's accounts**_, still with that consistency about Renma's absence._ So how on earth did he ended up here....?_

"This critter......" It's Shoma's time to speak now with his voice now hoarse, "This critter saw the conman went to the mortuary before noon.... he looked distressed...... while submerged in water, _this critter sees him take the elevator to the mortuary_....."

"_Renma went to the mortuary as well_....." Taiga added in. "While him, Hibiki and I were the only ones left at the dining hall when everyone else's gone,_ he left saying that he will be in the mortuary before heading elsewhere_..... _and I think he left around 11 am_....?"

_**Another info about Hisao**_. I bit my thumb nervously as I took note of **_Shoma's account_**, _'So he went to see Renma... before that time of death..... no, that still contradicts the previous two accounts, neither Renma or Hisao was seen heading towards the garden right after I left. Hell, I don't think I even seen them leaving from the hotel elevator either....'_

"S-So.... no one really knows what's going on then....?" Mitsuru addressed the issue here. "_**Everyone's accounts**_ almost matches but like.... _no one have actually seen Renma left the hotel this entire time_....?"

"I think it's safe to assumed that fucking conman might be the potential culprit for this case....." Higura grumbled. "Even though it might be too obvious for it to be him......"

"_We still can't rule him out like that_....." I corrected him. "About him leaving the hotel last night did seem suspicious.... _but I wanted to be sure_......"

Taiga took the chance and inspected the body as well. Once he saw the lines around Renma's neck, he frowned, "The culprit must have _used a rope _to suffocate him...."

There was a piece of fabric wrapped around the neck, the marksman removed it and said, "This isn't enough.... even though it's long and sturdy enough to not ripped.... the lines are much more thicker than this one here....."

"Hold on!!" Mitsuru cuts in. "That fabric.... isn't that the fabric from the costumes at _the theater house!?_ The ones for the _Faust_ play!!"

"_Let me see that_...." Higura grabbed it from Taiga's hand, as he clicked his tongue. ".... _It fucking is_. It's the same fabric that I even planned for others to have and woven from. Why the hell would this find its way here....?"

"Then, _the theater house_......" No one's at the theater house at that time, right? But almost everyone have an alibi...._ leaving Hisao and Renma_._ 'What on earth....? Why does it always go back to those two...? Is it really that simple....?'_ "Hibiki, Mitsuru, mind if you check the theater house....? Hiroshi.... I think you should check the warehouse one last time...._ I have a feeling something's there_...."

"Alright, I will surely be thorough in this investigation!! For Renma's sake!!" Hiroshi gleamed. "Sumi, Shoma... you guys take care as well, okay? I know this must have been.... _hard for you two_....."

"We will be fine....." Renma wouldn't want us to sulk around for too long, we have to figure whoever did this..... _even though there might be only one suspect in this case. 'But would Hisao.... do this....? What kind of ulterior motive would he even have....?'_

"Shoma, Taiga...." I feel really bad for dismissing the biologist like this,_ but I need to be sure nothing is left undiscovered_. "Check the mortuary, there might be clues that Renma or Hisao might have left from this morning..... Higura and I will have to stay here and inspect the body more......" Shoma is the only who would know how to enter the mortuary and Taiga might be helpful in identifying the weapon used in this case...._ guess everyone has to be paired up in this situation_.

"Yes, ma'am..." Taiga mimicking a soldier's salute. "Come on, Shoma.... it's quite a distance from here to the hotel so we shouldn't waste any time....."

Shoma nodded, approached me slowly as he took my hand into his, looking down as he said, "_Please be safe, Sumi_....."

"I will....." I watched as both of them left the catacombs, waited for at least they're out of the building before speaking to Higura next. "Higura, we better get going as well....."

"Huh? Going?" Higura raised a brow. "Thought you're going to inspect the body more??"

"There's nothing else like what the record stated....." I waved around the file in my hand. "There's only markings around his neck and that's it. There's nothing on him that could bring us closer to figure out the culprit's identity..... _so we only have** that place** to rely on_......"

"That place....? So_** the labyrinth**_.....?" Higura's eyes widened. "_So you dismissed everyone just so you can go to the labyrinth_....? Are you fucking serious!? You should know that shitty place is a death trap set up by Monomyou, right?"

"What other choices do we have right now.....?" I reminded him. "I didn't just dismissed everyone for that reason, I do believe there are others mysteries left in certain places....... _it's just that the labyrinth has been such a sore subject ever since the last trial_....."

"I-I get that, you don't want that to be ruled out and actually want to know what's in there... but you needed _two people_ to enter that place, right?" Higura crossed his arms. "So why did you dismissed Shoma AND Taiga...? It wouldn't have been better if you have a smart person or a survivalist helping you out in this...."

"Shoma would be against this.... even Taiga as well....." They were both adamant on playing into Monomyou's games. _Admirable_, but in this situation,_ it's just not the time_. It's not the time to play safe anymore. "As much as I don't want anyone to hear this coming from me...... _but I trust you more than everyone else here, _and I mean it....."

_And that's just the selfish truth from me_. While Higura isn't the brightest person, his skepticism matches mine and almost above Amane's level. Despite being _foul-mouthed and ill-tempered_, he has some good parts he usually showed during class trials or in-person. And.... _it just feels like I can only trust him for now_.

"That's a really high and mighty statement coming from you.... and everyone would really lost their shit if they heard that....." Higura commented. "But, alright, I get it. Everything is a mess and you can't believe anyone's words that quickly..... so yeah, I can be your partner, just in this case. Just.... if that conman bastard or that urchin-head starts coming after me, _I will be cursing you from hell_....."

"Thank you, Higura...._ we should get going now_......"

* * *

In front of the labyrinth is the sign that not only mentioned the _'Ultimate Reward'_ it promised, but a few rules that were listed underneath it;

** _ RULES FOR [ THE MONOMYOU'S LABYRINTH MYSTERIES ] _ **

  1. _**Two people must participate** to enter the labyrinth **at anytime!**_
  2. _**You can only enter the labyrinth once**! So try your best and solve the mysteries!!_
  3. _**Violence isn't allowed** so do not try and bring any dangerous weapon in the labyrinth!_
  4. _**Once you completed the mysteries, you're not allowed to go back in again!**_
  5. _**There are three available prizes** so the first pair can immediately get the grandest of all grand prizes!!_

"Just a puzzle maze then...." Higura concluded once he examined all the rules. "I don't know what the hell is that thing thinking for coming up with stuffs like this but it sounded like a drag....."

"Even so... this _'Ultimate Prize'_..... seems to be given only to the first people who tried this place....." The moment Hibiki mentioned Hisao going out really late last night, I can only think about_** this place**_. "So if we tried it out and got the second place, then the culprit must have been here already....."

"I can't imagine what the fuck would the _'Ultimate Prize'_ be....." Higura shivered. "I can't help but imagine in worst possible ways....."

"We will be alright, I promised- _What is that...?_" I spotted something near the gate to the labyrinth. I bend down and picked that object up, "..... _**Hisao's pocket knife**_.... so he was here last night......" Since the labyrinth forbid any weapons, he has to leave it out here and possibly forgot about it.

"This.... _is not looking good for his case_......" the designer sighed. "If he's the culprit or is helping the culprit then....._ I'm gonna fucking shank his ass and no one's gonna stop me_....."

"_Be my guest_...." I stood up, "Let.... _try out and hope for the best then_....."

With only wits and confidence, we stepped into the green labyrinth willingly as the gates closed behind us.The spacing between the bush walls weren't that wide, it's only enough for one person to go through. It wasn't until we're halfway there into the maze when we reached a small empty space filled with pots of different colored roses. "Guess this is like a... _resting point_....?" said Higura. "There's four possible ways we could enter so..... _now what_....?"

"I will try and go ahead......." I volunteered. "And if I didn't managed to find my way then.... I guess we will take turns instead....."

I decided to take second path that descended downwards into the maze, passing by a _**strangely sticky greyish substance**_ that painted the bush wall, _'What the...? What is this....? It smells really putrid... yet somehow familiar....?' _Continuing my descend that later turned into a L-shaped path, I found my way _from where I started using the same path_, "Back to the resting point again.... Higura- _Hey, Higura!?_"

"Come here quickly!!" I heard a voice coming from the fourth part and I immediately make a run for it. Higura didn't ventured too deeply, he was just standing around, waiting for me, "Apparently, _this mystery is a lousy one_.... but we gotta stick together or else....."

"_Meaning_....?" He didn't say anything else, he grabbed my hand as I followed him behind closely, the path descends down similarly and formed into an L-shaped path. There's also that_** odd grey substance**_ the painted the wall but the designer stopped once he saw it, "_Okay, now go back_...."

"B-Back....?" He pushed me backwards until I finally do what he said and once we did, the resting point wasn't there_ but was replaced with another long path_, "_Wait, what!?_"

"_The paths shifted, that's all_......." Higura explained. "I went in here as soon as you did just to test it out and I don't want to be fucking useless..... when I passed by that nasty-looking stain, I found myself back so _I decided to test out what would happened if I go back instead of passing by that thing_..... this is a different path for sure and I will tell you where to go if we're going down the same old path or not....."

_'**Eidetic memory**...... I almost forgot he has the exceptional skill.... really unintentional to have him helping me instead.....'_

"But, _what's with that stain anyways_...? It's so goo-ey and stinks so badly!! Even paint fumes aren't even that bad!!"

"Which means someone else's has been here......" But that didn't mean they succeeded or not. We can only know by _completing the labyrinth_. And so we went down the long path and once we saw the stain again, we went backwards until a different path showed up, _'So the maze isn't really big, the paths just rotates once we made a sharp turn.... but it doesn't feel like it shifted.... Monomyou just wants to screw with us until we give up-'_

"Oh... we're at the end.... well that was quick......"

Right in the middle of the maze, a small jewel-covered box stands on the podium. I went ahead and opened it which reveals a..... _diagram of some sort_, "This.... I..... I can't really make it out... or even know what's it supposed to be....?"

"I would have said it looks like a flow chart or someone's poor attempt to mimic some bizarre spiderweb shit but even I don't know what the fuck's going in this one....." said the frustrated designer. "So this is it? The Ultimate Prize is just some poorly attempted at designing chart-"

"_How dare you!?_" Monomyou appeared right behind the podium and landed on it, stomping their feet angrily. "I will have you know that you dearest host worked all day and night with this prize!!! At least show a bit of appreciation for some hard work, you _'nya!!_"

"_I would rather get dumped into a landfill full of garbage rather than admitting something like this to be even considered 'good'_....." Higura sneered. "So we got the second prize then? The first prize was won by another pair...?"

_'Right, we were only given this** cryptic diagram**... so the other grand prize is....'_

"Nyahahaha!! That's right!! You guys were really slow into deciding whether to solve this labyrinth mystery or not!!" Monomyou exclaimed. "But I'm shocked myself!! I thought the first pair would be the lovely pairs like '_Hisao and Sumire'_ or _'Mitsuru and Higura'_!! I thought about this place's theme to be_ 'the power couple's chance to shine their way to victory'_, ya' know!!"

_**That's oddly specific**._ _ Why did Monomyou made up two random pairs just like that...?_

"Also, I feel sorry for Ms. Investigator here!!" Monomyou snickers. "If only you've been here earlier, you could have gotten that grand prize!!! But alas, the grandest prize falls onto the most ill-fitted pair I've ever seen!! I even designed that prize to tailored to your need as well!!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The grand prize.... _**was the document about three certain students being transferred to the Yumeino Ultimate Academy!!!**_ Nyahahaha!!"

My heart almost stopped when I heard that. So the important document that Hisao was talking about being moved from the warehouse.... _was here all along!?_ "Then who's-!!"

"Whoops!! I've said too much already!! Besides..... _your investigation time is up!!!_" they announced as they jumped into the trap door on the ground. With that, a familiar tune played out;

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ahem! Your investigation time is up!! Alright, little detectives!!! It's time to move forward to the exciting '**Class Trial'** event!! Please head your way to the northwest of the hotel immediately!!_

"_I can't believe it_....." I sighed in disbelief. "To think the answers that I've been looking for..... _was at a place that I told everyone to stay away from_....."

"Like I've said, that furfuck loves to mess with people's head....." said Higura. "But.... it should be obvious who've gotten the grand prize, does it...?"

Yeah, it's Hisao.... _and another person_. Another accomplice? _**No**_, there's no way that conman would even need an accomplice or even think about murdering someone else..... _unless he's trying to find out who's the supposed **fake player**_-

"Let's move out.... the others will get highly suspicious if we idle too long...."

"..... Yeah, we shouldn't keep them waiting....."

Once we made our way back, our paths were thankfully shortened once we got out of the gate. I quickly take the pocket knife being left behind near the place to as an evidence for later. _And with that, we left for the class trial_.

* * *

To even think that once we would get there and we will be greeted with a more calmer scene is almost foolhardy. The moment I saw Shoma and Hisao in front of the elevator, that will take us to the class trials' ground, as the biologist have a scalpel out and clearly in his hand, I panicked, "W-What the hell is happening here!?"

"Ah, Shino!! Thank goodness!!" Hisao's smiling, hand holding against his left cheek that's profusely bleeding. "I'm getting worried that you won't arrived in time!! If you didn't, w_e would have to solve another murder case so soon!!_"

Taiga have the biologist in a head-locked position but Shoma's struggling against his restraint, _his face looked too determined and wanted to hurt the conman even further_.

I decided to pay more attention to Hisao's bleeding wound before settling down Shoma, "H-Hey, stay still....... thank goodness the cut isn't that deep.... here, I have a napkin with me, just apply a lot of pressure to your wound and it will stop bleeding....."

The conman accepts the gift and did what I told him to do, "Awww, Shino is worried about me!! That's a relief!! And I thought I have already made everyone in this place finally hate me for good!"

"It's impossible for me to hate you so don't get your hopes up if you're waiting for it....." I admitted. "_Not with everything you have done for us so far_....." With the way we're talking right now, it feels like that conversation at the crypt didn't even happened at all.

"That sounds like a challenge!!" Hisao exclaimed. "Alrighty then, even though I don't want to participate in this case, I will be rooting for Shino at 100%, the rest can go eat dirt for all I care!!"

"**_That's it, I'm gonna shank his ass right now_**......"

Leaving Hisao and Higura to their '_fight', _I tapped onto Taiga's shoulder as a gesture to let Shoma and he did. Shoma massaged his neck as he placed the scalpel back into his coat, "... Sorry.... this critter got really mad.... because of something unnecessary......"

_'What happened while I was gone....?' _"It's okay, Shoma but...... don't do that..... _Renma wouldn't be happy if you hurt anyone else even as an act of revenge or anything_...." It's unfair for me to use his name in this situation but what Shoma did was extremely risky and dangerous. "We will find the culprit for this case.... _you will have your revenge_....."

That calmed him down, it's almost frightening that I have use those words to ease down the biologist. "Taiga.... did you two find anything at the mortuary...?"

"_**The frayed rope**_ that might have been used in Renma's case and I think there was a struggle happening there, _his parchment charms were all discarded on the floor_ ..... and I remembered seeing that kind of _rope from the warehouse_...." Taiga stated. "Which is weirder because......"

"_The warehouse was secured and guarded since this morning!!_" Hiroshi continued from where Taiga purposely left off. "And it's also impossible since the locks weren't even tampered with!! And when I got in, I noticed that _the rope is missing _and possibly the culprit knocked over some metal screws while taking it!!_ But I still have no idea where could they've entered from and then left!!_"

"We even check the theater house!!" Mitsuru added in. "Hibiki and I checked on all of our costumes!! It seems Sumi's costume is the one that's heavily shredded into pieces..... _and that's all we've found!!_"

Keeping everything recorded inside my head, this case is a lot more similar to the first and third one. _Where everyone's present yet no one noticed_. But there's are multiple evidences that came from different places that were highly guarded._ 'Whoever this culprit is.... did they really take advantage of that labyrinth prize.....? It feels like they've received more than the supposed documents.....'_

Taiga called for the elevator as the doors opened and everyone immediately poured in. And because there's only eight of us left, the elevator descended way faster and the creaking noises were less obvious. _'Hisao knew.... he must have knew about that labyrinth prize being link to the documents we found in the warehouse..... and he probably did managed to solved it since he refused to go there with me earlier this morning..... so I guess that conversation we had was probably for nothing.....'_

The elevators door opened, _'Which means he went there with a partner last night... and that partner might be our culprit in this case... but if that's the case.....'_

We went to our podiums, staring at the deceased portraits. _Homare's fencing swords, Hinako's paw print, Amane's composer baton and Nao's quills, all formed a bloody X-mark on their faces_. _'..... **Would Hisao even let that culprit to take advantage of that grand prize to commit a crime just like that**....? **Or was he the one who actually committed it**?'_

"Ohohoho? Suddenly my beloved guests are being quiet and obedient children!?" Monomyou teased. "_Especially when someone was about to get murdered for a third time!?_ My, my, you can't just ever die. huh, conman!? I'm getting tired seeing you survive all those unfortunate circumstances!!"

"Trust me, even if I wanted to, there's always a delay or something!!" Hisao laughed. "But I gotten way too tired to deal with this over and over again so I'm leaving the spotlight to my good friend, Shino!! Hope you're fine with that, dearest magnificent host!!"

"Nyahaha!! If you do that, you would be punished for not participating!! But if I do punish you, that would ended up giving you satisfaction!! So no! I decided not to punish you and let you suffer through this **_despairingly _**long trial!!!" stated the host.

"Ugh, no fair!!" Hisao whined, slumping over his podium. "I don't want to stand all day and hear so much ridiculous shit from these folks!!"

"Why the hell are you two conversing as if we're not going to damned another person's life to hell...." Higura sighed. "This is why I can't stand these fucking weirdos and their messed up conversations....."

"Hey, Monomyou.... it's alright to start now...." Shoma started. "_This critter is well-prepared to find out who is the culprit in this case_......"

_'Shit, he's really mad right now.....' _I gulped down the fear that's stuck in my throat._ 'We shouldn't let this trial to get derailed by emotions so.... even with Hisao not seriously participating.... Shoma's strong emotions may even falsely placed the blame on him instead.....!'_

"You don't have to remind me, Mr. Biologist!!" Monomyou loudly announced. "I've been waiting for this trial and as your host, I am determined to give you the best entertainment you would ever get from yours truly!! _We can now officially start the **Class Trial**!!! With your wits and strength on this exciting yet daring trial!! __**It's time to refute with all your might!!**"_

_'Is this really another case of an accomplice behind the scene...? Or is just someone taking advantage of the whole labyrinth prize? How on earth did the culprit managed to commit this crime and went unnoticed? This culprit took the life of our dearest friend.... but.... **I won't fall into despair**.... **or lose any hope**..... It doesn't matter which, I won't let them get away with this!!'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
Hiroshi was initially planned to be a girl but while counting and considering the prelude characters to the main story (soon), I decided to changed at the last minute. Their backstory and everything still stayed the same.


	25. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Deadly Life - Trial I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial started with high tension that would break a character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This trial for this chapter will be really short yet will be surely something else.  
Not gonna lie, my full intention for most of the major characters is supposed to make readers hate them. I'M HOLDING ONTO THIS INTENT.

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"As everyone already know by now...." Monomyou started. "This trial will determine on who's the culprit behind the death of _**Oki Renma**_, the mysterious _**Ultimate Medium**_ who later turned out to be the **_Ultimate Mortician_** in such a magnificent twist!! _Alas, such a poor soul joining the rest of his kinds!!_ Nyahahaha!! I wonder how everyone will uncover the mysterious circumstances behind his death!! My heart just keep on pounding with excitement!!"

_'I'm sure you're just waiting to see another successful punishment that will happen in the end....'_ I clicked my tongue. "We need to be clear about everyone's placement, _from early morning until the afternoon_..... from there, _we can determined who's lying and who's telling the truth here_....."

"_L-Lying_....?" Mitsuru stammered. "W-Why would we lie at a time like this!?"

"I'm with Sumi in this one, while all of our stories matched up...." Taiga explained. ".... _It's too perfect that nobody even noticed that something's up_....."

"Unless there's some spooky shit interfering our_ 'poorly-described and shitty excuse of'_ normal everyday lives that Monomyou would have told us....." said Higura. "It's too damn suspicious for everyone to have no part in this....."

"Rest assured, I have nothing to lie or hide for everyone's sake...." Hibiki sounds confident, her tone suggested that she isn't guilty. "Right after breakfast, _I was with Taiga the entire time_ and _saw Renma went into his mortuary_ a little bit after....."

"And that's probably _the last time we even saw him alive_...." Taiga continued. "We were in the dining hall the entire time...._ right until the body discovery announcement_....."

"I was on an afternoon job and on a look-out as well!!" Hiroshi admitted loudly. "I've only encountered Mitsuru and Higura on their way back from the garden. And that's all! Nothing after that!!"

Mitsuru and Taiga were together for a bit at the bar and then Higura left to go rest in his room. The cosmetologist was alone the whole time yet that's still doesn't fit the whole narrative. No one approached the mortuary _**except for that person**_.

"I believe we could benefit a lot from asking the witness first.... isn't that right, Mafuyu Hisao?" As if by a miracle, Hibiki initiate the question first.

"Huh, me?" the conman faked his surprise. "Eh, I'm sorry, everyone but I already gave my words to my two most beloved people that I would stay away from this case as far as possible!! So, unfortunately, I can't help you guys with this!"

"This critter thinks _you're hiding something_....." Shoma glared. "This critter suggest giving up.... _as your secret weighs nothing compare to the punishment you're about to receive from this critter after_....."

"Shoma, _**stop it**_....." I'm getting irritated if this keeps going on. I understand his rage, but throwing away empty threats wouldn't help us to get to the answer we needed.

"Ahahaha! Guess you really need Shino to put you into your place, huh, Mr. Biologist!" Hisao just laughed off his seething expression. "I don't blame you! Shino is pretty scary when she's mad so maybe for once I will give a clue!! Because all of you will go nowhere if you're focused on everyone else!! Now, _solve the mysteries of the labyrinth and you're good to go!!_"

"What does that place has to do with the case here....?" Hiroshi asked. "It's just some weird-on that Monomyou decided to mess with us with its existence....."

_'The reason why Hisao brought up that place.... it has to related with the case, right? But if I present it to everyone.... how will they react....?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"The Labyrinth has a strong significance to this case than you all think!!" exclaimed Hisao. "Try to solve it at least!!"

"You say that......" Mitsuru pointed out. "But we** didn't even know****_ what's the mysteries behind the labyrinth_**!!"

"_**No one's been in that place when it was first introduced**_...." said Taiga. "We all _stayed away from that place_....."

"Is this your attempt _to steer us away from the the case?_" Shoma asked.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"That's not true.... _**someone else has been to the labyrinth before this**_....." I surely hope I don't regret mentioning this. "**_It's Hisao himself_**... due to the rules of the labyrinth, Hisao has to leave his _**pocket knife**_ at the start of the labyrinth, where Higura and I found....."

"Oh! So Shino and Higura did actually investigate the labyrinth!!" Hisao whistled with a carefree tune. "And they even knew the rules of that place as well!! _Which mean you two actually went through its mysteries as well_, right!"

I knew this is why he brought that place up again, for us to admit it, "Yes, we did. _We even know why you do it as well_. I sure hope you will share what you've won with us after the trial...... _if we get that chance_......"

He flinched, even for a brief moment, he visibly flinched. _He doesn't want to do it_._ 'Mafuyu Hisao, what are you hiding.... this isn't about the mastermind or anything, so why are you reluctant to show us that....?'_

"You guys.... tried the labyrinth.....?" Taiga's eyes widened. "B-But that was the motive for this case, isn't!? Isn't too dangerous for you guys to try it while in the middle of an investigation!?"

"Relax, it's just some lame-old maze game with a shitty graphic art reward...." Higura grumbled. "Sumi and I managed to solve it without a problem and didn't get jackshit. _Just some weird old art design from the looks of it_....." He took out the said art piece from his pocket, a bit crumpled around the edges.

"That's......" Mitsuru looks uncertain. "..... _does it supposed to look like something else_....?"

_"Huh? What do you mean?"_

"Well... it does look like some kind of spider-web thing... but....." the cosmetologist offered a theory to the abseiler's question. "_What if we're supposed to look at it as something else_.....?"

As something else? Like, _not as a surrealism art? _"If it is not what it's perceived to be.... _are you saying the case came from the true intention behind this piece, Mitsuru_...?"

"Just a thought but that's how I see it as anyways....." Mitsuru ended her speech.

_'Something that isn't what it seems.... is there any possibilities.... that it could be something else....?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Try to think as something else!!" Mitsuru suggested. "It might _**helps us solve the mystery behind this case!**_"

"Now that you mentioned it....." Higura's face beame pale. "... _don't tell me this is like a fucking map or something!?_"

"I-I'm sorry but I really can't see it....." Hiroshi stated. "I think _it's just one of Monomyou's tricks or something_....."

"If it's a trick then _**Monomyou wouldn't even bother including it in the labyrinth in the first place**_...." Taiga pointed out.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Higura... you might be right..." I can't believe we've been so fucking oblivious this entire time. "This might have been a map.... _a map of the entire place_....."

"_So my initial guess when I first saw this thing was correct all along!?_" Higura yelled, so he also have that idea but has some doubts about it. "The this is.... this is the underground passage map!!_ This thing shows how every buildings are connected!!_"

"W-Wait.... if that's the case....." Taiga trailed off. "Then.... Renma's location of death might have been....."

_'Thanks to this newfound discovered, the locations of death have gotten more clearer.....'_

..................

...........

_"**The mortuary, **without a doubt.... the reason why we didn't even see Renma or the culprit heading towards the catacombs_ is because_ the culprit made use of the map, killed Renma as they transported the body underground....."_

"The only people who knew about the map's existence are Higura and Sumi, who discovered recently and......" Hibiki stared at the conman across her podium. "_Hisao_....... do you have any rebuttal against that?"

"Huh? I mean, sure, it's a coincidence...." He's not afraid to admit. "I do saw it but I never gave too much thought about it!! After all, I'm not one for decorative papers, you know! I wouldn't even care if there's an underground passage or something!!"

"Wha-! _Don't screw us around like that!!_" Hiroshi yelled. "You knew about this obviously and you clearly took advantage of it murdered Renma right under our feet!"

The accusation started already but we don't even know Hisao's actual motive to kill in the first place. I don't think he wouldn't want to kill Renma as well. It's too coincidental, _too perfect for anyone to easily believe in_.

"Not only that.... this critter clearly saw..... you were heading towards the mortuary....." Shoma exclaimed. ".... There's no witnesses and you have the knowledge of the map itself......_ you're clearly the culprit here_......"

"Now, hold on there, _Shoma_......" This is the first time I heard Hisao referred to him by his name. "I'm fine with everyone no believing my words but jumping from words to actual actions.... _you're making the biggest gamble here_....."

"Everyone, don't get too hasty!!" Taiga gulped. "E-Even though Hisao has not much of an alibi... it's too early to vote for him to be the culprit!!"

"But it's not that far-fetched...." Hibiki mentioned her part of the story. "I saw him leaving last night.... he clearly was going solve that labyrinth's mysteries.... and once he get that map, he went on to do his own murder plan this afternoon....."

"When you put it like, it makes sense_** but**_......" Higura interrupted. "_I don't buy that explanation at all_. This fucking conman may be a bitch to handle but he's not going to pull some absurd shit right under our noses for no goddamn reason!!"

"Ummm..." Mitsuru looked uncertain. "W-What should we do now? Everyone's a bit divisive in this situation-!!"

"_**Hold it right there!!**_"

"It seems everyone's fighting each other with words right now!!" Monomyou laughed. "Ya' know, at a time like this, this host would obviously want you all to fight in a more extravagant way!!_ Ladies and Gentlemen!!_ Your amazing host would like you all to proudly participate in the luxury hotel's exclusive _**morphenomenal trial grounds!!**_"

"This again....?" I said that but internally, I'm glad this popped out now. With this, we can easily shoot down any argument and contradiction in everyone's words. _We can't be derailed by any false claims_.

"This is really unnecessary but whatever, let's go on with it!!" _Well, Hiroshi looked really excited to do this_.

* * *

**( Scrum Debate )**

**( Question - ** _"Should we vote Hisao as the culprit?" _ **)**

**( **_"Vote for Hisao!"_ \- _Shoma, Mitsuru, Hiroshi and Hibiki _**)**

**( **_"Don't vote for Hisao!"_ \- _Sumi, Hisao, Higura and Taiga _**)**

"That critter used _**the underground passage**_ for his murder plan!!" exclaimed Shoma.

"There's a possibility that someone else besides Hisao knew about **_the underground passage_** as well!" I refuted.

"Shoma said that he saw him going to_** the mortuary**_ where Renma was last seen right....?" Mitsuru asked timidly.

"He said_ 'he saw'_ but that still doesn't confirmed that he did go to _**the mortuary**_, didn't he?" Higura replied.

"Would it possible he forced our attention to _**the labyrinth**_ so that we would purposely voted wrongly?" Hibiki suggested.

"_**The labyrinth**_ and its purpose serves the most important factor in this case, not the other way round...." Hisao fights back.

"The _**mysteries **_behind Renma's death should have been already cleared up, right?" Hiroshi asked.

"There's still _**mysteries **_behind the intentions of his murder to begin with!!" Taiga answered.

_ **( BREAK! \- "This is our answer!" )** _

* * *

"This is still not over yet!!" I loudly claimed. "Even with Hisao's knowledge about the labyrinth's prize and the map to the underground passage... t_here's something about it doesn't add up_....."

"Doesn't add up....?" said Shoma. "Sumi... what doesn't add up? There's no other ways to it..... Hisao had the opportunity to murder Renma, that's it...._ are you defending the conman based on an incomplete story motive_..._?_"

"I-I'm not....." He backing me up into a corner now, isn't he? "There's still other mysteries about the warehouse and theater house being included into this case.... _why would Hisao went through all the trouble into making such a mess when he could have done it cleanly?_"

"Would it be to throw us off....? If the conman purposely laid off a bunch of unrelated things from different locations...." Hibiki stopped for a while before deciding. "I think we shouldn't put too much thought on it, _it's merely nonsense_....."

_But it's not_, I desperately wanted to scream that out loud. I don't want to believe it._ I just don't want to believe in a narrative so narrow-minded that it became our definitive answer_. _'Are they.... really okay with this....? Deciding with that person.... just because he was there......'_

"And so you guys don't believe my words.... _typical_....." Hisao sighed. "Well, I guess that's what I get from fooling around too much.... sort of a sad conclusion for me-"

"_**Shut up**_....." I snapped. _**I**_._** Snapped**_. "I said, _**shut up with your monologue**_. Do you even hear yourself speaking right now? Y_ou're okay with us voting for you to be the culprit, you're okay with us voted wrongly_ and_** all of us will die for nothing**_. Are you trying to make us feel sorry for you? For not believing in everything you've said? What do you actually want from us? _Why can't you even help us properly?_"

Hisao became quiet, he looked.... _**scared**_. A genuine fear showing on his face. _But he's not the only one_. Everyone else became scared all of the sudden. From my outburst of emotions.

".... All of you must be really tired of hearing this all over again...." I said with bitterness in my tone. "_But making decisions in such a haste is not a goddamn solution_. Deciding things on emotional response is such a shitty way to go. I wanted to get this over with as much as everyone else but...._** if we can't even properly solve the mystery then what's the point? If everyone is so willing to pin the blame onto one person then why even have a class trial to begin with?**_"

Trying to steady my breathing, I can feel myself shaking from anger. I've never been this furious on anyone else but all the stress from yesterday just builds up until it exploded . _And it came out at such a worst possible moment_. "If all of you really wanted to find the culprit for real.... _**then**_ _**please just listen**_..."

Everyone was silent, they don't know what to say. They were all avoiding eye contact with me.

_Until_....

"_Alright_,_ I will confess_......" Hisao decided with a heavy sigh. "However, it's too cruel for you to use your emotions in this trial to manipulate us, that's such a low-blow coming from you, Shino. I'm pretty much upset about that but, because this poor fool here actually have a heart to admit,_ I don't want to see a friend of mine fallen into **despair **too soon_....."

"H-Huh..?" _A friend_.....?

"As you all know, _**I hate liars**_....." he exclaimed with an expressionless face. "So everything that came from my mouth will be nothing but _the truth_. And it's the truth I expected everyone to work it out from there. _It's also something that you needed to come into terms with yourselves_. Here's _**the first truth**_; _**Renma and I promise not to kill anyone or even each other before the second trial ever happened**_...."

_It's the partnership_, the spiritual bond they said they made during that talk at the reception area? That still went on, even until now....? So the two of them were actually serious about it...?

"The_** second truth**_ is that _**it was his idea that I should try out the labyrinth in the first place**_....." That one really shocked me to the core. "I was against it as much as everyone else..... but thanks to his meddling, I ended up trying it out...."

"Renma did.....?" Shoma found his voice. "B-But.... why....."

"He said it's a _'spiritual calling'_ or whatever it was....." his tone still suggest he isn't lying, or... _he just doesn't want to lie in this case at all_. "But that will be revealed at the end of this trial, _the reward I got from solving the labyrinth_. And the _**third truth**_... well.... it should be obvious but..... **_I didn't kill Renma_**.... yet _**it was partially**_ _**my mistake for letting him get killed as well**_....."

"You got him killed......?" So he's _indirectly _involved in Renma's death. _That's what I'm afraid of_; that we wouldn't know about it and just voted him out. "So it's true.... you're just a bystander while all of this happened...."

"I'm not sure what you all see in that medium friend of yours but _he's quite a trickster himself_....." said Hisao with a grimace. "I'm shocked to find out how little everyone knew about him. _I guess this proves that everyone just barely scratched the surface of everyone's true facade_, huh? Renma doesn't mean harm but that doesn't mean he's afraid to emotionally hurt the people closest to him...."

...._ I don't like what that sentence is implying_. If that is the actual truth, not some poor attempt for us to reach to the conclusion, _then no one in this case would be satisfied about it_. ".... Thank you..... _for at least being honest with us for once_....."

"Eh, no big deal..." Hisao huffed as he rested his head on the podium. "A few extra pointers, that's all. You're not the only who wouldn't want this trial to be derailed by some petty excuses as well, Shino. _But I thought this would be the perfect time for you to scold some misbehaving children_....."

In the end, he gave me a little push that leads me to _that outburst_. And combined with what he said, it should be enough to convinced others that Hisao isn't the culprit for Renma's case. _'How horrible, both of us deliberately lashed out on them.....' _"Everyone.. I hope you understand why I can't accept that _Hisao is the culprit here_... _because we're forgetting about this one other important rule of the labyrinth_....."

_'That one important rule that Monomyou have specifically mentioned to everyone when the place first opened up was.....'_

................

........

"_**There must be two people who can enter the labyrinth together**_.... to only accuse Hisao while dismissing the partner themselves...._ is just false judgement_...."

"Because of that... if we couldn't even solve that part of the mystery...." Taiga winced. "Then that would have done great disservice to Renma's memories instead..."

"If I've stayed a little bit longer last night..... when I first saw Hisao leaving the hotel...." Hibiki looked away. "I would have seen his partner that helped him during the labyrinth as well....?"

"So the only way we would know about that... about who did Hisao went to the labyrinth with...." Hiroshi suggested. "_It's to find out who doesn't have an alibi that night_....."

"Pretty sure everyone's in their rooms during that time!" Mitsuru objected. "I did went to check on Higura for a while and not once did I saw anyone leaving their room or anything!!"

_"I can backed her up.... she was really annoying, barging into other's room for no good reasons....."_

_'Their statement either contradicts each other.... or there might be a lie hiding in there.... I have to listen carefully.....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_No one else left their rooms_....." Shoma started "_**Except for Hisao and Hibiki**_......"

"I can assure everyone that _**I didn't even go with him to the labyrinth!!**_" Hibiki quickly defended herself.

"Okay the way you said_ that sounded really damn suspicious there!!_" Higura yelled. "But it should be damn obvious who would even leave to side with that conman over there!!"

"You mean, _**Renma is Hisao's partner for that night**_....?" Hisao asked. "... to solve the labyrinth mystery....?

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"That's impossible...." I quickly interjected. "Renma has an alibi for that night.... he was with Taiga's the entire time, like how Shoma was with me for the whole night....."

"I can testify that, I was put on watch over Renma for a night only...." Taiga explained. "_He didn't leave my room or anything after nighttime_. I installed special locks on my doors so that I would know if anyone,_ inside my own room_, have went out or not...."

_"T-That's scary...."_

"It's a safety precaution I'm willing to make...." Taiga shrugged at Mitsuru's concern. "But with everyone confirming their placement that night.... the list narrowed down to only _**Hiroshi**_ and _**Hisao**_.... who doesn't have an alibi for that night......"

"H-Hold on, everyone!!" Hiroshi's face paled. "T-There's no way I could have killed Renma, you know!! I was outside the entire time when the murder happened!!"

_'Could Hiroshi.... have done this...? No, no, there might be something else that doesn't really suggest that.... didn't someone seen Hiroshi outside as well?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_**I didn't kill Renma!!**_" Hiroshi loudly exclaimed.

"But you're the only one _who doesn't have an alibi for that night_...." Taiga pointed out. "... and _**for the afternoon**_ as well....."

"We critters were all in separated buildings with company....." said Shoma. "... _**it's only you who were left alone**_....."

"J-Just what other evidences could you guys use to prove it was me!?" Hiroshi asked. "_**I never even left my room at that night!!**_"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No, that's wrong.... Hiroshi has an alibi for the afternoon...." I mentioned both _**Higura and Mitsuru's accounts**_. "Coming back from the rose garden, they bumped into Hiroshi on his afternoon jog, rounding around the hotel till the warehouse....."

"That's right!!" Mitsuru clapped her hands together. "We did bumped into him on our way back!! He also guarding the warehouse even!! I mean... if he did used the secret passageway or something... _then we wouldn't bumped into him_..."

"That... still doesn't answered it...." Shoma frowned. "This critter isn't convinced by that line of reasoning..... there's still enough time for Hiroshi to commit a crime, wouldn't it...?"

"L-Like I've said....." Hiroshi is trying to find his words now. "I didn't do it!! You guys have to believe-"

"_**Shino, what are the things that our dearest host said to you once you've completed the labyrinth?**_"

"Wait, what....?" I was taken back by Hisao's sudden interruption. Even the abseiler didn't get to finish his defense. "What do you mean.....?"

"Well, it feels like I'm dying over here, watching everything going back-and-forth so...._ I will give you the final clue to this case_....." Hisao just looked at everyone with a serious expression. "_**What did Monomyou said when you and Higura finished the labyrinth mystery?**_"

_What did Monomyou said to the both of us? _That the mystery was tailored to my own interest? That it gave someone else a chance to commit murder and managed to get away with it without a scratch? Or was it-

_I stopped._

_I almost stopped breathing._

The thing he wanted us to remember..... _was also the same reason why he wouldn't want to help us solve this case_. And I was right in the end-_ no one would be satisfied with solving this case_.

I thought about that last thing Monomyou said to us to be nothing less than a joke but now that Hisao put much more emphasis onto it, _it's the clue we were already given from the start_.

"S-Sumi... what's the matter....?" Shoma asked worryingly. ".... did something happened at the labyrinth...?"

".... No... nothing happened..... in fact.... _I remembered something really important_...." I explained. "_Everyone remembered right?_ The body discovery announcement happened when three people were present at the scene? _**Hisao**_, _**Shoma **_and**_ I_** were present so from the start, we were already acquitted from being the potential culprits. But this culprit knew about the underground passage... so it has to be someone else who went with Hisao to the labyrinth and _that labyrinth has a very special rule that was mentioned to us at the end of it_...."

_'That certain rule was given much emphasis by Monomyou and that was....'_

_..........._

_......_

"While _**only two people can enter the labyrinth**_.... Monomyou mentioned about it as a _'**couple's motive**'_, they clarified us that it has to be _**a boy and**_ _**a girl in a pair**_......"

The room became silent, no questions or anything, Everyone have figured out _by the process of elimination_. "N-No... shut the fuck up....." Higura snapped. "_**Shut the fuck up**!!_ Are you fucking kidding me!? There's no way that's possible!!!"

"I'm sorry, Higura but.... _if you remembered everything **that person** said_..... _**it became more obvious**_, isn't it?" This is the truth we've concluded. ".... The timing and everything...._ it all makes sense now_........"

_'The person who has the chance to kill Renma without any witnesses... and with that opportunity is.....'_

_................_

_......._

_"**Asami Mitsuru**...... you're the true culprit of this case, right....?"_

Mitsuru flinched, her eyes keep wandering around, away from other's gaze, "I don't know what you're talking about.... there's no way..._ no way I would kill Renma in cold blood!!_"

"_**She's not the type to kill!!**_" Higura yelled out. "You're just basing that off some assumption that furfuck gave without a thought!!! _Did you seriously see her as the type who would kill without a reason!?_"

"Oh.... _oh_...._ so that's the type of image you're projecting on everyone else, huh_....." Hisao shake his head, disappointed. "Looks like I'm at my limits, Shino... there's no way I could willingly help these useless bunch if that's where their mindsets are glued onto..... _guess this is where you're gonna pick your side_.... like I've told you before, which one is more important to you and everyone else here? _The truth behind a close friend's death or the potential loss of another one?_"

"Mi-Mitsun....." Shoma quivered in fear. "_Y-You're_....."

"That's wrong!! You've got it all wrong, Sumi!! I'm not the killer!!" Mitsuru's begging for me to take back my words. "Please, _you gotta believe me!!_"

'_Believe... reasoning..... I've said it before, didn't I? I won't forgive anyone who would commit this murder but... if it comes to this..... if it has to then_....' I let out a deep breath, solidifying my final verdict. "There's no other way to it.... _**you're the culprit of this case, Asami Mitsuru, the Ultimate Cosmetologist**_...."

_ **[ Class Trial - INTERMISSION- ]** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
Voice Sample:  
[Hoshino Sumire (VA: Inoue Marina)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9teDD_nY-KU)  
[Takara Homare (VA: Ayaka Suwa)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfAQEvEzP6Q&t=93s)  
[Yoshimune Taiga (VA: Toriumi Kousuke)](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/3/3e/Festive%21_Sample.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20181119213556)  
[Oozora Saku (VA: Kenji Nojima)](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/1/10/Natsume_Sakasaki_Voice_Sample_1.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20170502044434)
> 
> I've already did Shoma and Amane a couple chapters ago. I'm not sure if I'm going to do the same with others bUT WE SHALL SEE.
> 
> Also this chapter is just;  
Hisao, to everyone: Are you all ready to receive the information that could potentially damage you in all ways you didn't know existed?


	26. Chapter IV: House Of Cards: Deadly Life - Trial II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class trial finally concluded but hell has just started for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year's Eve!! I present this chapter with a heartbreaking farewell and some more bullshit from Monomyou!! :D

**[ _Class Trial - RESUMED -_ ]**

"What a twist!!" Monomyou laughed out loud. "It seems we have already identified our culprit for this case!!_** Or did we!?**_ Could this be another pitfall that our beloved guests would potentially fall into!? Accepting such an energetic soul to be the killer of a gentle soul sure is despairingly awful!!! Well, let's cut to the chase, shall we, everyone! _I'm dying to see how will they overcome this revelations!!_"

"There's no other way to it, I'm sorry, everyone......" It pained me to say it out loud. But this is the conclusion I have reached at the end. "_**Asami Mitsuru**_, the _**Ultimate Cosmetologist**_,_** you're the true culprit of this case**_, are you....?"

"Sumi.... I didn't do anything...._ I didn't kill Renma!!_" Tears streaming down the other girl's face as she desperately tries to reject it. "Please believe me!! I have no reason to murder anyone here!!"

"_You-!!_" Higura decided to defend her as well. "You better back up your claims or else I will fucking obliterate you for accusing her without one!! _Mitsun's not the culprit and that's it!!_"

Shoma and Taiga looked at each other for a while before the marksman goes on, "_Can Mitsuru proved it then_........ I..... I'm sorry, Higura but..... _we won't believe she isn't one unless she can prove it herself_....."

"_Why_\- How could you guys....." Hibiki stared at the duo in disbelief. "Don't you even heard what she said!? _She doesn't even have a motive to kill anyone!!_"

I balled my hand into a tight fist, _'..... This is too painful to hear. Everyone immediately jumped onto the accusations that's pointing towards Hisao but once Mitsuru became the potential culprit..... she suddenly has someone fighting for her innocence.....'_. I desperately don't want to acknowledge the bias-talk for said person that's clearly showing here but _it's too damn obvious_.

_'Hisao isn't going to say anything after he gave away his last clue.....' _Even though he's looking away from other, it's clear to see that his face is showing a tint of sadness behind it. _'..... He's also emotional after all.... there's no doubt he's crushed after witnessing such strong defense of someone else.....'_

"Mitsun-critter....." Shoma's hand is shaking. "If you're not the culprit then _please prove it. _Higura-critter, if Mitsun really didn't kill him,_ then please convinced us_..... please prove your innocence that you didn't kill a friend of Sumi and I...."

"W-Why are you dragging Higura into this-"

"Fine, we will fucking give our reasoning then!! Listen up shitheads', you will regret for backing us up against the wall!!" Higura replied back without letting Mitsuru finishing her sentence.

**(**_** DUO ARGUED: Asami Mitsuru & Mochizuki Higura**_ \- _"We will fucking obliterate you!!!"_ \- **)**

* * *

"You got a lot of nerves for throwing those accusations around like that!! We will make you regret it!!" Higura sneered.

"W-We didn't mean it by force or anything but...." Mitsuru followed after. "I didn't do it!! Please believe me!! Please believe our words!!"

_'I want to believe your innocence, Mitsun but....'_ Unless these two can provide a more concrete argument then there's no way Shoma and I can just turn away from this with a blind-eye.

"Didn't you just hear what she said earlier?! _Mitsuru clearly has an alibi and I backed her up saying she was in my room moments ago!!_" said Higura. "Are you fucking deaf or something!?"

"_I was with Higura before nighttime!!_" Mitsuru claimed. "And then I went straight to my room after the nighttime announcement happened, that's all!!"

"Then _what about her alibi after nighttime?_" I suggested. "Did you see her out to her room? Did anyone hear her entering her own room? _Unless we have a witness who really did saw her not going to the labyrinth_, then we can't rule her out like that!!"

"_Is Mitsun-critter telling the truth_...?" Shoma asked. "_You didn't went along with sketchy critter before nighttime as well?_ Maybe before the siren could caught sight of you two?_"_

"Even so-!! This afternoon...!!" Higura fights back. "_She was at the bar the whole time, **there's no way she can be at the mortuary and not be seen as well**!!_"

_"There's no way that's possible!!" _Mitsuru replied.

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ \- )**

* * *

"Higura.... I know you saw the map and memorized it quickly.... _and I know you're ignoring the most important key on it_....." I can see him twitched when I brought up the map. "On that underground passage map, _**there's an underground passage that directly connects the bar to the mortuary as well**_...... so it's most likely that she....."

"You fucking-!!" Higura gritted his teeth. "I won't believe it!! No matter what you say or prove, _I won't believe Mitsuru to ever be the killer for anyone's case!!!_"

"Then.... there's one thing I would like to confirm with Mitsuru....." I turned to the cosmetologist. "When we first discovered the body..... _how did you know about the fabric?_"

_"W-What fabric....?"_

_'The fabric... that was found at the crime scene... the one thing that bothers me when Mitsuru pointed it out was.....'_

.................

......

"_**T**_**_hat fabric you said that came from theater house_**...._** how exactly did you know that?**_ It could have been anything.... yet you said that it came from that place.... _**and it's exactly it**_...... so _how did you know it's from that specific place if you're not the culprit?_"

"I-I...." Mitsuru stammered, trying to find her words. "_I-I don't know_....."

"You..._ don't know_....?" Hiroshi rephrased it. "Mitsuru, please... if it really isn't you then _please convinced us_...."

"Of course, she isn't the culprit!!" Higura yelled. "Right, Mitsun!? You know it yourself, right!? That you're not the killer!"

"_I don't know!!_" Mitsuru screamed, holding her head by both sides as she kneel down. "I don't know what to say! I can't think of anything!! _I can't think of anything else to make you guys believe me!!_"

"Mitsun...." I clutched onto front part of my clothes, as if to stop my heart being ripped out from my chest. "I wanted to believe you but... _I_\- _we can't risk anyone_.... we all wanted to live, I know-"

"_**Then, how about I just give up my damn self and leave Mitsun alone**_...." Higura cuts off. "It's a fair trade, isn't, Monomyou!?_ A life of an innocent little shit for a life of a potential culprit?!_"

"Huuuuh!? _**A sacrifice**!?_" Monomyou jumped in their seat out of shock. "T-That's the first!! In so many trials I've hosted and participated, no one in their right mind would even want to fill in for the culprit's cruel demise!!!_ Not even a nya-stander_!!! Ackh- _I stuttered!!_"

"So it's not completely out there then.....?" Higura sighed. "..... If it's fine then I-"

"_**No!!**_" Mitsuru interrupted almost immediately. "No, I won't allow that!! I definitely won't allow that, Higura!! _I won't let you throw away your life away just like that!!_ Sumi..... you wanted proof, right...? Proof that I did it so... please, I know you have plenty more evidences you wanted to be sure of so...._ please present it to us_....."

"..... _Understood_...." The way she said it, _it's already a definite proof_. "Then.... we shall go over it.... one final attempt to prove your innocence, Mitsun....._ I hope you're ready_...."

_Because I'm not_, I kept that within me.

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"What else are you gonna talk about..?" Higura sounded tired. "..._ How much longer are you gonna keep this up!?_"

"Please present one more evidence...." Mitsuru pleaded. "I'm sure_ you have a question regarding Renma's death_....."

"Renma's death..._** is by asphyxiation**_......" Hiroshi recalled. "So did you really_ use that fabric from the theater house_....?"

"That's already proven impossible....." Hibiki countered. "It was already said that_ it was used by a more thicker materia_l...."

_ _

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

".... Hibiki's right.... from what Taiga and Shoma found.... there's a _**frayed rope**_ found in the mortuary... that's used to suffocate Renma to death....." _Crushing his windpipe_, I tried to get that image out of my head. "The rope came from the old warehouse and.... even though the warehouse is locked by Hiroshi..."

"It's still accessible.... _if you knew about the secret underground passageway_....." Taiga continued solemnly. "So the mess that Hiroshi said was at the warehouse... _was caused by you, Mitsun_....?"

Mitsuru doesn't want to say anything, _but we're getting somewhere closer to our answer_. _As much as we don't want to_. "Mitsun, if you have to say something to say then-"

**( **_**ARGUED: Asami Mitsuru**_ \- _"Your words have no radiance!!"_ \- **)**

* * *

"You're holding back, Sumi!!" Mitsuru shouted, still crying but now with a determined look. "I know you're holding back!! So please, convinced everyone!! _Lead them to the correct answer!!_"

"Mitsun..." _Now that you've been found out, you want to ensure everyone voted you and not anyone else? You're so selfless, Mitsun_.... "What am I holding back then? _What is it that I purposely left out?_"

"Like you've said before, _only a pair of boy and girl can enter the labyrinth, right!?_" the cosmetologist asked. "How can you be sure it was me!? It might have been Hibiki for all we know! _She's also one without an alibi that night!!_"

"_Hibiki was with Taiga for the entire morning_....." I answered truthfully. "Even if it was her, _she wouldn't be able to get into the mortuary with him around, witnessing her_. And I'm sure it was you who entered the labyrinth with Hisao because of _**the certain clue you left**_!!"

"W-What clue!?" Mitsuru demanded. "Don't think of me as someone who would litter!! The rules also stated that we could bring any weapons in so you can't accuse of me by that!! _**What kind of clue could I possibly left the labyrinth itself!?**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!!"_ \- )**

* * *

"When Higura and I first entered the labyrinth.... we found this _**strange sticky grey substance**_ that's tainting the garden walls when we're trying to solve the mysteries...." I can't believe it took me this long to figured it out what it was. "..._ That was your doing_, right? I recognized that smell of_** hair dye**_ from anywhere and carried by _**a certain someone**_. You used that to _**as a guide**_ to solve the maze puzzle of that place....."

".... Yeah... _that sounds about right_....." Mitsuru smiled, looking relief that I managed to solve that part. "Thank you, Sumi.... _for piecing it together for everyone else_....."

_'Please don't say that right before we're going to do something so cruel towards you.....'_

"Mitsuru... you didn't even fight back!!" Higura yelled. "W-Why didn't you-!!"

"Higura, _**it's over already**_......" her voice is stern, even when trying to reassure the fuming male across her. "_It's over_.... everyone's doubts and denials have already been answered. _You can stop fighting now, for everyone's sake_....."

"...... _You're the fucking worst_....." the designer let out his final statement.

"I know....._ and I'm sorry_...." Mitsuru can only laugh at it.

"I....." I feel like an ass for ruining that moment between Higura and Mitsuru. But it's almost time before _**that **_will happen. "_I will go over it once more_.... and once everyone's truly convinced... we will proceed with the voting.... _no matter how painful it is_....."

"Take your time, Sumi..... you've done well...." Mitsuru tried to cheer me up. "You always pull us through... _you're truly our savior, Hoshino Sumire_..."

_'Please stop saying stuff like that....' _"You say that but.... in the end, you're the one who helped us out.... _you and Hisao_...... as fucking absurd that it is right now to say, _we're grateful for you guys... for helping us so much in this trial_......"

Both of them return those kind words with a smile. _Hisao_, who have been silent ever since the reveal, _actually gave a genuine smile_. That alone gave me slightly enough willpower to go through this trial a bit more, "_Here's the complete story_....."

* * *

**( Closing Argument )**

"Ever since Monomyou brought our attention to the_ 'labyrinth's mystery game'_, Hisao, prompted by Renma, decided to try it out with the culprit that night where's there no witnesses.... save for one; _Hibiki, who just saw the conman leaving the hotel_. In front of the labyrinth's gate, Hisao was forced to leave his _**pocket knife**_ at the starting point due to its '_no violence'_ rule and soon forgotten about it. Because they've met the requirements of the game, _Hisao and the culprit entered the labyrinth with no problems_....."

"The mysteries of the labyrinth is just a puzzle maze with certain paths changing and connected to several other so the culprit decided to marked the wall they passed using _hair dye_ to remind them that they've passed through it before. And just like that, Hisao and the culprit solved the the labyrinth mystery and won the grand prize. For Hisao, _he was just targeting for that certain prize_ and didn't pay much attention to _**the map of secret underground passageway**_ that culprit now knew.... _and took advantage of it_...."

"The next day, the culprit made sure everything gone smoothly and without causing any trouble that drew suspicion while hanging out with Higura. Once the designer left them alone at the bar, _it was during that time they decided to strike_. Using the secret passageway, they made their way to _**the theater house first to cut up one of the costume as a act of diversion **_for their crime later, using the tools of that place. Then, the culprit made their way to _**the old warehouse to get the rope**_, the actual weapon of this case, and**_ accidentally knocked over some material while leaving the place_**.

"They must have been in such a hurry that they didn't bother to clean up their mess, _because nobody would be able to figure out how would anyone get into that securely-locked warehouse without solving the labyrinth mystery first. _Around this time, Hisao and Renma must have already met and discussed about something important before the conman left the mortician alone. At the moment, the culprit sneaked behind him.... _**and strangled him using the rope**_. Renma must have struggled a lot_ **until his protection charms he kept with him were scattered all over the floor**_.

"After making sure he took his final breath, the culprit decided to transport the body from the mortuary to the crypt, leaving the mess and the _**frayed rope**_ behind. It was only the matter of time someone else would discover the body as _the culprit went back to their original placement at the bar_, Hisao, now alerted by Renma's sudden disappearance, just figured out about the secret passageway that the culprit left and went through.... _and met with Shoma and I as we discovered Renma's body at the crypt, triggering the body discovery announcement_...."

"_This is the true answer to this twisted mystery of this case, that can only be done by you_, _**Asami Mitsuru**_, the _**Ultimate Cosmetologist!!**_"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

In each stories I've ended at every trials, that heavy feeling always came back, worsening my thoughts every time. Now, it just came back in an instant and without any mercy. There's no satisfaction of winning or anything, _just an overbearing guilt_.

"Hmmmm!!!" Monomyou doesn't sound too happy for some reason. "Well, can't say I didn't expect this kind of outcome!! A little melodramatic for my taste!! I like my trials with brutal honesty and no tears shed, _nyahahaha!!!_"

_'Like Oozora Saku's trial....' _With that thought, I brought my attention towards Higura who's keeping it together. I can see tears threatening to fall from his lashes._ '..... He's strong.... he's definitely stronger than all of us.....'_

"Hold on now, dear guests!!!" Monomyou snickers. "It's too early to applause at a sad finale since _now it's the time!!_ Ladies and gentlemen!! It's the satisfying conclusion to the trial that you've been waiting for!! _**It's Voting Time!!**_"

As usual, the voting panel appeared before me and I immediately tapped onto Mitsuru's icon without sparing a glance. _The longer I linger on the screen, the more alluring it is to vote for someone else instead_. _'It's the answer we've reached.... it's the answer we all decided to accept..... hopefully....'_

Everyone have cast their votes and the big monitor showed up, setting up the roulette system with only eight people left showing on the wheel. My breathing slowed down as the arrow approached and landed on _**Asami Mitsuru**_, the word '_**GUILTY**_' lightened up, _confirming our answer and fear_.

"Well, well, well!!" Monomyou jumped down from the throne, looking dissatisfied. "Can't say I'm shocked about the results but I have fun seeing my dearest guests thrashing each other and showing their true colors at last!! That's at least the fun part of the trial!!"

After seeing the results on the monitor, Higura immediately went and stepped between Mitsuru and Monomyou, "_I fucking dare you, you furfuck... I won't let you-!!_"

"Haaah!? Still being disobedient!?" Monomyou hissed. "My, you're testing my patience here, you little designer boy!! If you really want to die with her like some tragedy of some star-crossed lovers, then fine by me!! _I've been itching to see some duo punishment for a long time!!_"

"Higura, please stop it... you're being selfish-"

"_Selfish_....?" Higura stepped back, looking at the cosmetologist in disbelief. "_I'm _being _selfish _here? Hah, I must be fucking deaf because I can't believe what you've just said!! After going through this trial!? You're still calling me that!? I don't think you have any rights to say that... _after keeping that labyrinth rendezvous as a secret from all of us_...."

Mitsuru winced from hearing that last part, "That... _I can't explain myself well for that_...."

"Then, I will just say it in her place...." Hisao cuts in, finally saying something. ".... This will surely brought up more questions than before... _**it was Renma who sent her to meet me at that labyrinth that night**_....."

"Renma!?" Both Shoma and I exclaimed in shock. Just... _what on earth is that person's thinking...?_ What is he scheming...? _Is this what Hisao have been referring to about his shift in attitude....?_

"It was an unfortunate coincidence.... you can say it like that...." Hisao still kept his disinterested tone on but his face still filled with regret. "Mitsuru and I solved it, got our prizes.... we didn't think too much of it _until_....."

"The grand prize was the documents about Sumire and the other two mystery students.... _**but there's more**_....." Mitsuru clarified. "If we had another class trial soon after someone already won the first prize, _then another piece of information will be given by Monomyou as a promise_...."

"You guys were baited by that kind of promise...?" Taiga asked. "That's almost similar to the last trial-"

"_**It's not**_... at least, that's what Renma told us....." Mitsuru interjected. "It's something not to be treated lightly or as a minor thing... we could potentially solve the mystery behind our reason to be here.... unless......"

"_Unless there's a class trial_...." Hibiki continued. ".... _we wouldn't solve the mystery behind our lost school memories.... and why we're here in the first place_....."

"Then.... _Ren_....." Shoma suddenly came into realization with how the story played out. ".... _that critter_..... offered himself to be the victim of this case....."

_**There it is**_, the answer that no one would be satisfied to hear about it. "So... _**this isn't just a murder case**_.... _**it's a case of a one-sided sacrifice**_......" That sounded too familiar and the biologist just figured it out why as well.

"This critter.... had that idea before...." Shoma admitted. "This critter.... gave him that idea..... unforgivable......_ I-I can't forgive myself for that_....."

Higura, Hibiki and Hiroshi gasped at his confession, seeing that they didn't know about the true reason why Shoma and Renma fought two days ago. I kneel down and comfort the biologist, whispering _'It's okay....' _repeatedly as Taiga just rubbed circles on his back.

"_Higura_...." Mitsuru turned to the designer, face-to-face. "... I'm sorry, you were right, I was being selfish. I didn't even think about others and how they will handle my involvement.... _when all I care about was making sure you all can leave this horrid place be_. This place is too tainted, you know? _Tainted with horrible moments of betrayals and deaths_.... _**I don't think anyone want to remain in a place filled with memories that brings nothing but despair**_..... that's why, it's my wish for everyone to escape this place... _so please forgive for being a bit selfish here_....."

"..... No..." Higura answered. "No, I won't forgive you... _I won't ever, ever forgive you!_ _'Forgive and forget'_, you're trying to pull that tactic on me now, huh!? Guess what!? I will never forgive your selfishness......so I will never forget about your existence either! No matter what, I will always remember it, clear as day, I met the most selfish person ever graced this fucking land.... _and I will never forget her_..... _never ever_....."

"Awww..... you're.... actually being sweet for once, _Higura_...." Mitsuru bitterly chuckles. She took her hairpin and clipped the designer's front bangs to the side with it. "As a memento, something to keep you going.... _looks like I can't be with everyone else, keeping their spirits up and all that_...."

"..... Fine, _I will take up that mantle then_....." He stepped backwards, wiping the tears from his face. "I will give them the wake-up call they fucking deserved! I'm not gonna say some sickly sweet shit just so they don't get all depressed!! People will remember you for your kindness so I'm gonna be the one who will be remembered for their brute honesty!! ... So... _don't even think that we can't move forward without you_.... I had you and the others have me now.... and I will keep everyone up with high spirits no matter what, _I could be better than you for all we know!!_"

"...... Ha... ahahaha...." A laugh, a really strained laughter. "That's strange..... that's really, _really strange_...... for a moment there, my heart stopped and immediately starts beating like crazy...... Haaah... guess this is such a pitiful moment for me, huh? To think,_ I like you even more now_..... _This is my punishment from you,_ right? _Like with Saku before...._"

".... Yeah, this is your punishment, showing kindness before going off.... _except this time_....." Higura smiled, a single tear rolled down his cheek. "_This fucking hurts me a lot more than the last time I did it_...."

_"Hah, figured you would say that, you sensitive little shit....."_

"_Urgh-!!_" Monomyou pulled out tissues from their pocket and blew their nose. "E-Even such a sharp-cutting farewell-!! This moved your dearest host's heart like no love stories before!! A-Alright!! I applaud for everyone's attempt to make such a ridiculous love story...!! But now, it's your magnificent host's turn to entertain everyone with my special program! _Ladies and gentlemen, strapped yourselves back!! It's the moment you guys have been waiting for!!.."_

"_All of you!!!_" Mitsuru said her last words. "_You all better leave this shithole place!!! Get out and make new memories_... _**memories filled with hope**_, okay?_ You guys can do it!_"

_**"It's Punishment Time!!!**"_

**[ ASAMI MITSURU HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY ]**

**[ LET US COMMENCE THEIR PUNISHMENT ]**

* * *

[ **_Ultimate Cosmetologist, Asami Mitsuru's Execution_** ]

[_ Special Saloon Treatment!! A Chelating Reaction!_ ]

Mitsuru was strapped to the massage chair, sweat rolling down profusely as she waits for something to happened. And then, multiple copies of Minimyou wearing colorful aprons appeared, stabbing her body with sharp scissors and leave it buried deep within the figure, _so that she wouldn't run and wouldn't just bleed to death_.

She opened her eyes slightly and in agony, soon widened once she realized the scissors were coated with something, _presumably a dangerous chemical substance_. She struggled against the bind until it finally came off, removing the scissors next, wincing each time she took it out of her body. She tries to get away from the room, banging on the wall desperately as the nauseating affects kicks in.

A strange white smoke suddenly filled the room, Mitsuru audibly gasped yet closed her mouth with one hand once she realized what it is. She continuously banging on the wall with her free hand. Slowly as the smoke engulfed her and her hand just stopped, sliding down the wall, the fire sprinklers in the room turned on as the smoke dissipated,_ leaving the body on the floor and not moving, incredibly pale_.

* * *

"_A slow and reactive punishment after such a quickly-solved trial_, just perfect!! Nyahahahaha!!!" Monomyou mocked the situation that happened before. "I gotta say!! Looks like she still have a bit of strength within her that wanted to escape really badly!! _That's so** despairingly magnificent**!!_ She sacrificed herself but deep down, she wanted to live as well!!!"

_'She convinced herself it's the right thing to do but... she knew deep down, she doesn't want to die.....' _An instinctual fear of death, that's why Mitsuru acted like that. '......_ Why does it always end up like this_.....'

"..... Are you done now? _Doing this stupid monologue so that you can see that fucking despair shit that's been throwing around now._..?" Higura sneered. "... _She's gone_... we know that. But... _that doesn't mean we're going down without a fight either_.....which is why-"

"Wha-" The designer grabbed both Shoma and I up, "_What are you_-"

_ **SLAP!** _

It took me a while to register the stinging pain on my cheek, the moment I touched it again, I winced back reflexively. Higura did the same thing to Shoma as well, who looked just as shocked as I am.

".... Listen, _I don't know what's going through your head right now but_....." Higura firmly grabbed the both of us by the shoulders. "If you two are blaming yourself for Renma's death or anything again.... _then I'm gonna fucking knock some senses into your head_. He _**chose **_his own demise just so the two of you can live, and _he doesn't want to the two of precious people have fallen into the despair because of his own decision_. So, _do him a favor and don't make him fucking regret his decision in the afterlife_. It shows...._ that he really care about you two_...."

_'Renma wanted us to escape peacefully... because of that.... he has to....' _"... care about us....."

"... If you wanted to see it as that way, if it helps you..... _then **live**_... **_live a little longer_**... _he would have wanted that for everyone_...." said Higura. "_So don't you dare disrespect a dead-man's wish like that_....."

_That wish for everyone to survived and escape_. The same wish that was passed down from Homare, to Hinako, to Amane and Machi and then to Renma and Mitsuru. Even Saku, Kiharu and Nao, _they all wanted the same thing, they all wanted to live_. ".... _**When there is life, there is**_ **_hope _**.........." I bitterly laughed, so that writing we found in the crypt did matter until now. "That's what those words said, right.... _our only way to freedom_...."

".... This critter still... feel a bit troubled but.....!!" Shoma grabbed onto Higura's arm in response. "If it helps everyone... it helps this critter repent for his wrongdoings against everyone!! Against... _Renma_..._ then I will swim with everyone else a bit longer!!_"

"Gah, thank fucking god, we're not losing you two so soon....." Higura sighed almost collapsing onto the both of us. "I'm so damn tired... talking my ass off..... if this is what a leader supposed to do everyday then shit, maybe I'm not cut out for it....."

"You... did a good job carrying Mitsun's wish....." Hibiki chuckles. "No doubt.... she would be proud of you....."

"Yeah, I wanna prove her wrong for saying that I'm such a downer or anything!!" Higura huffed out a reply. ".... _**I won't let anyone fall into despair, not when I'm still around here!!**_"

"Ohohoho!! You sounded particularly familiar but I'm gonna let that slide!!!" Monomyou snickers. "You guys are being so merrily happy that you have forgotten the most important thing!! After all, wouldn't this call for a reward of a successful class trial!?"

"_The labyrinth mystery reward_...." Taiga gasped. "You're.... gonna give us the other half of it.....?"

"Well, I was supposed to give it _**IF **_the first winners of the labyrinth survived the class trial!!" the host pulled out a familiar-looking folder, similar to what we found from the old warehouse. "I think it's about time for you all to have your answers but fair warning!! This knowledge would only be given to the _**first winner!!**_"

"Really? _Well then, I don't need it anymore_....." Hisao sighed, his tone of boredom is back. "I'm tired of this game already now that I know everyone's true color. I thought I would have the chance to change everyone's opinion of me but it turns out there was never even an option to do that since the beginning. So yeah, just give that away to others, _I'm not longer interested in it!_"

"Hisao, you-" I jumped back a bit once one of the Mini-myous appeared right before me, holding the said folder. I hesitantly took it from its hands before it ran off.

"Y-You're giving up that easily...?"

"_Hah?_ Well, it's really easy to give up on _helping people like you guys_...." Hisao spat at the abseiler's question. "So I decided to do my own thing from now on. _**I will find my own way to strangle the life out of that mastermind myself**_......"

"By yourself- that's a fucking suicidal move!!" Higura yelled. "That wouldn't help you a bit!!"

"Funny, _**because no one really help at all finding the mastermind so where's the loss here?**_" Hisao glared at the designer. "You guys finally have the chance to get rid of me so why are you fighting back now? Are you seriously going to play the _'good guy'_ part now? Not convincing!! _Your act is simply not convincing enough for me to not do it!!_"

"What are you talking about-" I was scanning through the documents while listening the conversation going on in the background. _The documents contained information about **the teachers and staffs of the Yumeino Ultimate Academy that aided in the Missing Students' Case and alongside the other three students from Hope's Peak Academy**_. There are four notable staff members, who are also known alumnus of their own academy, that are active in this case;

_Nishida Fuji, **Former Ultimate Physician**_

_Ohori Haru, **Former Ultimate Journalist**_

_Koyasu Ryuko, **Former Ultimate Counselor**_

_ _

The first three people doesn't ring any bells, or even triggered any repressed memories hidden deep in our mind. Taiga was also looking over my shoulder, reading through it and once the both of us reached the last name, _our heart sank_;

_Mafuyu Hisao, **Former Ultimate Psychologist** And **Homeroom Teacher Of the 50th Class**_

As clear as day.

_The name we're familiar with was paired with an unfamiliar title._

_**Mafuyu Hisao**_... the _**Former Ultimate Psychologist?**_

_Then who is this person standing before us?_

"Sao-chin.... no, that's not it.... _that's not your name at all_....." I kept the folder closed to my chest, afraid that it will be snatched by an unexpected hand. ".... _Who are you_...? _**You're not Mafuyu Hisao at all**_....? _Who the hell are you!?_"

"W-What....?" Higura stared back with confusion. "Sumi, what the fuck are you talking about!? What's in that thing-!!"

"Ahahaha, that's what I feared the most!!!"_ 'Hisao' _ceremoniously laughed. "That thing really contained the answers, huh!! The answer to everything that will lay out for you all after this!! And I will be watching from the sidelines as you pieced together the puzzles left by _**the mastermind and me!!**_"

_Mastermind and him._

_He said... **that**._

"No way.... _are you kidding me_....?" I stepped forward until I'm upfront, facing him. His figure loomed over me but I don't care, "**_Y_**_**ou're the fake player this entire time!?**_"

"_**Bingo**!_" the conman laughed. "Quite a twist, isn't it? I'm happy that you and Taiga played along with my role, ya' know!! I was getting worried that you might find out but!! To think you two have a heart to try and bring the goodness out of me, is quite admirable!! Isn't that right, Monomyou!"

"_**You got that right!!!**_" Monomyou laughed, standing besides him. "_Hah!!_ This might not be a bad trial after all!! With the reveal of the fake player from the previous trial finally come to light and not just some mimicking doll!! _The **real fake player of this entire killing game **is **the person who you all know him as Mafuyu Hisao, the Ultimate Conman!!!**_"

"So how do you like that revelation!" the conman asked. "Are you satisfied now? Do you hate me now? I'm getting more interested to know how much you detested me right now!! _I've been working on it since the very beginning, you know!!_"

"......_** No**_....."

"What?" the conman frowned when he heard that. "What do you mean_** 'no'**_? Geez, you're really stubborn, huh?_ Little miss_... _Shino_... _Hoshino Sumire_, you do realize you're talking to the person potentially behind this killing game as well? Of course with the coincidence of that memory loss thing... I wouldn't know if I'm the one setting you all up to begin with!!"

"_That's why I won't believe it yet_....." I stated my defense sternly. "I won't believe it yet... until we know about it for sure. Until we get all the answers.... until that happened.... _there's no way I would want to think less of you.. just so you can pull your tricks again_....."

"_Tricks_.... are you saying... _**that I'm lying?**_" the conman let out a big sigh as he placed his hand onto my head. "......_** You better cut that shit out before I consider murdering you myself**_....."

"_**Then do it**_... if you really think what I said was nothing but bullshit, _**then try and murder me now to prove you're working with the mastermind**_...."

He was taken back, he didn't expect that kind of reply. "..... **_You're severely mistaken_**, _Shino_. If I kill you right now and immediately got voted out, who will go after the mastermind after that? I got this far ahead and I'm not taking that risk, so... sorry!! _Guess you have to wait until I get that mastermind's head!!_"

He pushed me away as I stumbled onto the ground. I hear Shoma and Taiga, from the back calling out and rushing towards me, "W-Wait... if you're working with the mastermind _then why are you trying to go after them as well_....?"

"Well, you would be pissed as well if you found yourself in the killing game when you're supposed to be behind the stage, Shino!!" the conman put on an innocent smile. "Basically I have an axe to grind against that person's face.... _**so don't get in my way**_....."

"Nyahahaha!! So you're still going on about it!? Well then, I look forward to your assassination attempts!! _Even though I can still see your every possible moves!!!_" With that Monomyou disappeared, '_Hisao' _didn't even bother going after it

"Ah well, guess that's it....." the conman yawned. "I'm going back to my hiding spot so don't bother me after this.... I'm getting really sick and tired seeing everyone's faces already so don't be too surprised I decided to attack or anything!!"

"_Just w-what are you planing now_...." Hiroshi asked.

"Of course, I do like the idea of exploding the entire place up....." Everyone's eyes widened at that last sentence. "But unfortunately, I don't have the capacity to make such weapon!! _So, it's going to be a mystery!!_ Anyways, bye-bye, everyone!! I had so fun messing with you all while it lasted!!"

Taiga was about to go after him but I hold him back, saying that it might not be a good idea to go after him alone. And so, the impostor left the trial ground, leaving six survivors trying to find a solution to their predicament.

_'....... We can't let him do whatever he likes- No... I'm... sure I'm the only one who have this kind of thought about him but.... **I can't let him go off and do anything dangerous**.... **No matter what**.....'_

_..................._

_..........................._

_..................._

_"That was such a riveting act!!"_ Outside, at the garden maze, the conman twirled around, giggling like a little girl. "So riveting that I couldn't help but shiver at that moment!! Ah... they might have gone back to their hotel rooms at this point but oh well,_ I gotta make sure everyone gets their beauty sleep before our final act together!!_"

A set of footsteps was heard from the distance, the conman grinned once he saw the person approaching him. "Well, looks like you made up your mind, huh!! After knowing I'm the fake player here..._ you're still going on about that deal you wanted to make with me two trials ago? _Just so you know you make me hurt a lot of people for this deal!! So.... _don't make me regret this!!_"

Both of them shook hands, the conman let down his guard, "Homare and Renma were right, you know!! You shouldn't meddle with someone like me. I've been called a lot of nasty things before, you know!! But the most likable nickname I've been given, _**due to my Ultimate talent**_, was this thing called _'A Faceless Ghost'!_"

He gave on final twirl, his coat brushed aside the rose petals off the branches as they were surrounding him under the illuminating moonlight, he gave the person one warning, _final advice_, "_**Because**_ _**I'm the ghost who has been working with the devil since the very first beginning of this play**_....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
I actually have planned who the victims and culprits will be before even starting the story itself, their method of murder and executions are the only things I did out of whim. The only changes I made was that Machi became a victim for Chapter Three rather than a culprit (the victims would have been Nao and Amane in that chapter).
> 
> Voice Sample:  
[Setsu Hibiki](https://sinoalice.wiki/images/9/99/Cinderella_voice_01.mp3) (VA: Eri Kitamura)  
[Hanabusa Hinako](https://sinoalice.wiki/images/f/ff/Snow_voice_02.mp3) (VA: Reina Ueda)  
[Oki Renma](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/4/41/Kaoru_Hakaze_Voice_Sample_3.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20170502044700l) (VA: Kei Hosogai)  
[Osame Hiroshi](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/i-chu/images/1/16/Futami_Home_Reg7.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20151123030035) (VA: Yuuma Uchida)
> 
> Hey, so, um, remember when Sumi said that Mitsuru and Shoma might get along due to their similarities in one of the FTEs? BOY, DID THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED


	27. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Daily Life I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stage has been set for their next seven people. An act that started with another plan in mind.

_".........."_

_"What's the matter? You've gotten really quiet lately! Usually you will yell at me for making such a mess!!"_

_......._

_"**Oki Renma**.... **Asami Mitsuru**..... I'm just shocked you would pick these two....."_

_".........."_

_......._

_".... Now it's your turn to give me that silent treatment, how annoying...."_

_"Nyargh- I can't fight back with my usual words in this state so-!! I might have to work around some more!! I need to figure out a perfect act that will blow everyone else away!!"_

_......._

_"**Nara **would be really mad if she's here right now, you know?"_

_"Yeah, I know... **but it is what it is now**, everything else is leading up to this. So... can you please get out of my sight! I wanna sleep more and your presence is bothering me!"_

_......._

_"You have a few more months before** the graduation day**.... everyone is getting worried about you....."_

_"..... It will be alright. __They won't be **once the curtain falls**_........_"_

* * *

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, rise and shine!!! This is your daily announcement after the exciting event from yesterday!! What an incredible twist, your very own host was even impressed by everyone's performance!! I hope everyone can keep their act up so that I can also entertained you all even more! Nyahahaha!!"_

_"I would like to announced that several areas that were off-limit are now opened for exploration!!! Be at your tippity-top best!! Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

.......

I can barely sleep last night.

What happened yesterday..._ almost felt unreal_. Like a dream.

_Renma was killed. Mitsuru got executed. 'Hisao' was outed to be working with the mastermind._

"Out of all things.... _this has to be the worst one yet_......" I admitted it, _as if I could even ignore it_. "What are we gonna do now...... we're one step closer.... it feels like we're one step closer to finding out our stolen memories but..... why does it feel like... _**we're not supposed to do this**_....."

_ _

_ **Ding Dong!! Ding Dong!!!** _

_ _

My head snapped upwards as I stared at the front door, immediately I went ahead and answered, "Ah, _Shou-_"

"_Sumi...!_ This critter is glad.....!" _Forced enthusiasm_, I can clearly hear the difference between the biologist's usual tone and a forced one. "..... This critter has suffered a minor concussion while hibernating..... it was really dark and cold...."

"S-Shou-chin, did something happened last night...?" I asked as I locked the door behind. _'But everyone went into their room safely and the doors are all locked, right...? Could it be...?'_ "Did you....._ had a nightmare by chance_....?"

"Isn't sure... but this critter found himself falling from the bed after regaining consciousness!" _So it is a nightmare then_. I almost took his words literally and that someone might have-...... _No, it's too early for it_. _Shoma just got worried after a nightmare and came by to see me_.

"..... Still, I'm glad you're okay...." I gave a reassuring smile. "Let's go to dining hall. I'm sure everyone else's waiting for us....."

"Hmn! This critter needed energy to scavenge for rations later to keep in his sanctuary!!"

"A-Ah.... I see...." _I seriously don't know what he means by that._

* * *

"Sumi! Shoma!! We saved some of Hibiki's greatest puff pastries for you guys!!"

"Good morning, Hiroshi... Taiga...." My scanned around the dining hall. There's not a lot of us left here. There's only seven people left in this hotel. Of course, _**one of them**_ is not present here in the dining hall. It would have been a mess **_if_**_** he's here**_. "Hibiki, Higura... you two looked well today...."

"Of course, I slept in early because I knew that furfuck is gonna work our ass to ravished those new areas....." Higura sighed in annoyance. ".... And I wanna make sure everyone's in their best condition as well...."

_'Huh.... hearing that coming from him.... doesn't sound odd at all..... I guess it isn't too far-fetched to see him as some sort of a mediator for us.....' _"Yeah... but I couldn't imagine this place can extend even further...." Shoma is chatting with the other people,_ a more light-hearted one in fact_. ".... But I noticed the elevator had undergone some **modifications** while we're not looking..."

"So you did..." Higura grinned. "As expected, a keen eye of an investigator. I also saw it but I waited till everyone's here... so that we could discuss about the areas we're going to investigate....."

"They've just unlocked the new area but don't forget the elevator can only fit three people...." Hibiki pointed out. "We might have to split up because of that.... if there's three new areas like before-"

"_**Nope!!!**_" Monomyou jumped down onto the table, startling the other three while Higura and I immediately are on our feet. "_Ny-Nyargh!_ Sudden reaction to fight back!? I-I warn you!! This adorable host can fight back even with these studded paws, nya' know!!"

Higura cracks his fingers, "_**We can still throw knives at you so what's the point**_. So what do you want now? You've already told us about the areas...."

"That's the thing!! While there are three new areas opened up after such _a successful trial!!_" the host snickers once everyone flinched at those words. "One of the areas are locked for this host's safety and to prevent invasion of privacy!!"

"...... _Then why even bring up that specific area in front of us now if we're not supposed to investigate there_....?" I asked. If it's that important for Monomyou to even mentioned and not allowing us any entry.... then it clearly has to do with the mastermind or our memories...._ or it could be their way into trapping us in false sense of security_.

"Just a reminder, nya' know!!" Monomyou answered in a panic. "A-Anyways, just to let you all know!! This adorable host might be busy for a day!! I-I got a _**pest **_to keep under control after all!!"

"No way..... _Sao-chin is serious about that_....?" I still called him by that name. Even though it isn't his to begin with but it's more better than calling him as '_that man'_ or '_that conman'_.

"Eh!? Miss. Investigator still has a heart for the traitor!?" Monomyou gasped. "Could this be the blooming relationship that everyone's been waiting?! Nyahahaha!! Even I wouldn't want to associate with such a dangerous individual like him!!"

"Everyone have their own perspective of Sao-chin so don't lumped us together like that...." I warned him. "For all we know, you might be the one forcing him into that role so that we could immediately start up the killing game again......"

"Nyahahaha! Such an absurd idea!!" Monomyou exclaimed. "As far as I'm concern, Miss. Investigator, _all these killings were all done by your own friends' selfish wishes!!_"

My hand twitched, almost grabbing hold onto the air-soft gun I kept in its holster before Monomyou disappeared again. I sighed heavily, "I'm.... getting exhausted reasoning with that thing....."

"We all are......" Taiga agreed. "But..._ do you still think that person is_....."

"I know he's somewhat dangerous and we shouldn't trust him..... but if he did something that would really ticked off Monomyou, he might truly start up the killing game once again and we wouldn't have any choice to back out...."

"Shit, that's gonna be a problem...." Higura gritted his teeth. "But where the fuck would he be now? We don't even know if he in his room or in any of those new places....."

"If that's the case....." I turned to the group with a flourish. "Maybe _the split team thing_ might be a good idea; _Taiga, Hiroshi and Hibiki_. Then, _Shoma, Higura and I_. Taiga, do you have your gun with you?"

"Yup!" Taiga patted on his hip, the outline of the said device clearly shown through his jacket. "I even upgraded my pellets!! Now I can electrocute people on the spot!!"

"**_Excuse me, you can what now?_**" Hiroshi and Hibiki immediately demanded, overwhelming the marksman with their looming figure.

"W-We can discuss that shit later!!" Higura yelled at them. "Alright, from what I saw just now, there's a floor above our rooms, and the one we all stayed together initially, that just opened up... which is the _'**Tech Room**'_, as the label says......"

"One of the floors that Monomyou prevented up from going.... has to be the _**'Administrator Room'**_...." The button on the elevator for the floor wasn't even lightened up as well so we don't have any other access to it. "And the other floor is below the auditorium and the cellar which is.... the_ '**Storage Room**'_....."

"Then we will investigate the storage room!!" Hiroshi volunteered. "It sounds really spacious and I'm sure Taiga would have a better aim in a more wider space!!"

"No objections here...." Hibiki said.

"Shoma, Higura and I will take the tech room...." It's been decided. "We will check on you guys later after we're done with that so please stay put in the meantime....."

* * *

_'The Administrator Room is blocked out, just as expected...'_ I thought as I stepped outside of the elevator, joining everyone else inside the Tech Room. A blue velvet room with computers lined up against each side of the walls, and there's one computer isolated from the rest in the middle. "Guess this is the... _'master computer'_ or something....."

"This critter checked all the sources!! Nothing.... their lifeline are all cut off...." Shoma reported. _'The rest of the computers aren't really hooked up to the electrical system so there's no other way to turn them on.... but this one in the middle probably can....'_

To test that thought, I went over turned on the monitor and the CPU. To my relief, it turned on normally, ".... Monomyou might have blocked off any access to the outside world if they allowed this one to be connected..... it might take a while if I can go around it but.... _there might be a small chance that it wouldn't_...."

"It's alright... it's not like we have those expectations in the first place...." Higura confessed. "After all, furfuck has been cunning so far... _there's no way they're going to let that happened_....."

"Hmmm.... this critter don't really get it...." Shoma tilts his head. "Is it really important.....?"

"..... _How the fuck would you, biologists, record all your experiments and findings then_...?" the designer gaped at the person next to him. "You guys **_at least_** used a computer before, right?!"

"_Noooo_....." I quietly answered while nervously laughing. Higura would be really surprised to find out what kind of system they used for recording..... _that still uses a disc and old system interfaces_. A red blaring screen flashed for a second which made me halt my process, "... No use... can't access to anything.... If I try it again, there would be risk for triggering some sort of lock-down mode for this computer or-"

"_System deletion_......" Higura continued. "Come to think of it, is there any files you can access on this one instead...?"

"Let me check.... there's a couple and-" One of it caught my eyes, a file about _'**The Future Foundation**'_. "_The Future Foundation_.....? That..... sounded really familiar...... _**ackh**-!!_"

* * *

_"- I will be counting on you, Miss. Hoshino....."_

_"I would like to thank you, on behalf of the **Yumeino Ultimate Academy**, for aiding us in such a short notice...."_

_"It's what I can do for now, really!! I have no idea you guys have been dealing with such an awful case!!"_

_"We... didn't made it known to the public... if people knew about it then it would cause an unnecessary mass panic attack and it would be difficult for us to locate the source....."_

_"Not when everything have finally calmed down after '**The Tragedy**'. For the ultimate academy that holds the initial goal of **Hope's Peak Academy** from its foundation..... it's no surprise really....."_

_"........ Rest assured, the academy has long diverge from its focused goal of the original founder.... that's what I've heard so far from attending there...."_

_"No worries, from all the documents **you three** gave to us.... everything went smoothly at your side, right? Good work, I will be looking forward for your next report...."_

_"Understood, please look forward to our next meeting, Mr. Naegi...."_

* * *

_"Huh!?" _What was that? When did that happened? That's...... not a memory about the Ultimate Academy... right? That's.... _way before that or even during_. "Who... who is that..?"

"Hey, Sumi!!" Someone's furiously shaking my shoulder and I jolted upwards. I stepped backwards, eyes widened as both Shoma and Higura just stood still near the computer. "H-Hey, you alright!? You zoned out for a minute there!!"

".... Y-Yeah.... I think I...." staring at the screen again, I told them, ".... remembered something important.... but I'm not so sure.... I need to rest for a minute..... c-can you guys try and read the description of the _'Future Foundation'?_ I want to be sure....."

"This critter will volunteered....." Shoma sat on the chair in front of it, while Higura hold onto the mouse guiding the biologist as well. "**_The Future Foundation_** is an organisation formed by alumnus of _**Hope's Peak Academy **_after _**The Tragedy**_ to fight off the remaining of the Ultimate Despair and undo the catastrophe they've caused. However, due to some unfortunate circumstances, the organisation has been hijacked and the members were forced to participate in _'**The Final Killing Game**'. _After this event, the organisation was later under the control of the _**14th Division Branch**_ and_** the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Naegi Makoto**_....."

"_Naegi Makoto_.... there it is again....." I muttered, taking a seat nearby as I processed it all._ There's no doubt about it_. Back when the mortuary first opened and found that list of deaths book, the reason why I even remembered that tragedy that spreads despair,_ the exact names of the students who caused that despair to happened_..... "Alright, thank you, Shou-chin.... I think I can be sure of myself now...."

"H-Hey, what the hell's wrong with you just now....?" Higura asked worryingly. "That's not some crazy seizure thing you've just went through, right!? You didn't get shocked or anything from that error just now, right!?"

"N-No.... I just...._ remembered something else_...." I confessed, there's no use to hide it from them. "It was.... probably during the investigation of the missing students case.... I was reporting back my findings to _the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Naegi Makoto_...... and that's it....."

"Now that you've said that name.... and this foundation's purpose.... _it does sound oddly familiar_......" Higura replied.

"Hmn, this critter is currently reading about a sort of proposal project of a flying ship that will be soaring through space!!"

"_A flying what-!?_" Higura looked over to read what the biologist just mentioned. "...._ Proposal for Gofer Project_....? Constructing some kind of emergency spacecraft in case the destruction of the world happened-"

".... _Are you guys still reading about the Future Foundation or_....?"

"This organisation has a lot of proposals in case of any tragedy strikes....." Higura gulped, scrolling through a long list of projects. ".... They're hellbent in preventing another catastrophic event....."

The Future Foundation's sole purpose is to aid and recovering all the damage done by the Ultimate Despair. Now that they're dead, their purpose now is to maintain that peace across the nation. _'Wouldn't this alert them then? They would have realized our bodies were never found after that destruction of the Yumeino Luxury Hotel... unless some other group already planned our demise way ahead...'_

"Is that all? Hira-chin? Shou-chin?"

"_Hira_...?" the designer raised an eyebrow. "Well, nothing but plenty of plans in process so no useful shit for us to use here. It seems you're the only one here that gets the benefits....."

_'I guess so....'_ I became a lot more lightheaded after recalling such an important meeting. ".... I think we searched enough on this floor.... we better meet up with Hibiki and the others....."

"Sumi, you sure you're well....?" Shoma placed his hand on my forehead. "Sudden stress from current events is not good for any critter, you know? Do rest if needed....."

"It's nothing to worry about, I will be fine....." I answered, putting his hand down. "We should get going now, they might be waiting for us....."

* * *

Once we reached the floor dubbed the 'Storage Room', we immediately see Hibiki idling around in front of the elevator. "Setsu-chin..." I called out to the opera singer. "What are you doing? Where's the other two...?"

"Well...." A gunshot rang out and all of us immediately flinched. "_They're testing out Taiga's accuracy shot and this place's hiding spot_....."

"Ah.... doesn't tiger shark has the ability to sting people...." Shoma must be referring to the new pellets that he concocted. "Would the other critter be fine...?"

"If I recalled....." Hibiki replied. "Hiroshi is really agile and light on his feet.... I saw him climbing up those iron cabinets like it's nothing. Well, guess he's also well-versed in _parkour_, guess it makes sense....."

"_**That's great and all but you do know Taiga can still potentially hurt him, right?**_" Higura and I asked.

"Still- Ah,_ speaking of the devil_...." Out of nowhere, Hiroshi landed safely besides the singer without a scratch on him. Jumped onto his feet, he snapped his finger and grinned at us.

"You're here!! You should have seen Taiga and I just now!!" he exclaimed. "We were playing an extreme game of tag!! This place has nothing of interest, just something to stock up hotel necessities so we decided to play a little game!!"

_'A '**little**' game, right.....'_ I can see Taiga following after, with a solemn expression. "Tai-chin, what's wrong...? Are you upset that you didn't land a single hit on Roshi-chin...?"

"I didn't expect for him to be so quick....." Taiga whined. "I got so carried away when Hiroshi escaped my aim for the first time....."

"But you were so close!!" Hiroshi laughed it off the countless attempt to hurt him. "I also got into the chase when Taiga is having trouble hitting his target for the first time!! _So!_ This is my revenge for getting me into trouble at the gym last time!!"

"Grrrr.... I will get you for sure-!!"

"Next time, you two...." I cut in, reporting our findings in the mean time. "We're here to discuss about our investigations. The tech room only has one working computer and in it, there's a document about an organisation called _'The Future Foundation'_...."

"_Future_\- That's the organisation Hisao have mentioned before...." Taiga pointed out.

_What? He did?_ "When did he mentioned it....? Was it when you were taking care of him...?"

"Yeah, right after you told us about that mysterious door in the crypt....." Taiga explained. "He told me something about an organisation potentially behind that thing and also the reason why we're here in this situation in the first place....."

That certainly did fit the theory that Hisao and Amane thought of; _an organisation behind this killing game_. Still, something else seems wrong about it, "Not likely... if they were behind this killing game and probably the missing students' case... then they wouldn't have sent three students of their own academy to investigate... I even remembered talking to the headmaster and current holder of the organisation themselves....."

_So much for remembering something so important later._

"So the thing about you and the other two students being some sort of _'eye-and-ears'_ from the other school is true after all...." said Hibiki. "At least, this one isn't another lie this time......"

"Then, we can all agree that the newspaper clippings are fake, right...?" Hiroshi brought up the first clue we found at the library. "They were made up so that they won't find and rescued us from this place....."

"This critter wonders......." Shoma asked. "Just where is _'this place'_... really....? _The strong breeze this critter has been feeling is really nostalgic_...."

_Strong breeze_. Are we near the ocean or something? Somewhere far away, away from civilization. The tall walls constructed around the place prevented us seeing anywhere beyond them so we couldn't know for sure.

"It seems.... _distrusting him caused a far greater loss that we anticipated_......" Hibiki mentioned.

_Hisao. Or whoever he is_, we have yet to know his true identity. It's a lot more quiet without that person around, spilling eccentric ideas and jokes. It's... _really weird to even miss that atmosphere around_.

"Well, that bastard turned out to be working for the mastermind... or actually trying to get us killed by going after the mastermind....." Higura sighed. "We can't risk involving him with us after that stunt..... _**unless you wanted to confront him face-on**_....."

_Ah. I got figured out_. "You got me......" I chuckles. "But... it's not a bad suggestion. After all, if he sees any of you guys, he wouldn't even want to listen at all......"

"That's some bullshit reasoning and you know that!!" Higura claimed. "Look, unless you value your own safety, it's best to stay away from him for now.... it's better if we just leave it as '_that Monomyou and the conman's feud'_...."

_It's that really for the better? What if this is another attempt for Monomyou to start the killing game?_ Monomyou could have set up something and we wouldn't know anything. ".... Alright, I will stay away from them for now...."_ I lied_. I hope they can forgive me for this later. "I think that's all for the investigation today.... guess we can do our own thing now......"

"Perfect....." Higura yawned. "I'm gonna be in my room, painting.... _fucking knock first if any one of you scumbags are planning to interrupt my moment of peace_..."

Hiroshi and Shoma began teasing about the designer's newfound interest as Hibiki just watched the whole amusing scene before her. Taiga pinched my shoulder as he secretly passed me some kind of block-y device into my hand, "_You're going ahead, right? Use this if you're in trouble_....."

_Even the marksman saw right through my lies_. "Thanks... a bit unnecessary but I appreciate your concern....."

_'I can't just go ahead and begin looking for him, it will be too obvious.... perhaps I can talk to others a bit more before heading off.....'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

"Climbing again, huh?" I decided to visit the gymnasium, half-expecting that I would bumped into the abseiler there.

"Ah, Sumi!! Perfect timing!! I wanna test something!!"

_'Test something- Every time anyone who's energetic said that, it always leads to something dangerous....' _And Hiroshi is almost at the top of the wall as well, _so this could only mean one thing_. "_**Please don't jump off**_...."

"I'm gonna jump off!"

"I said don't-!?" Hiroshi let go of the edge and let himself fall to the ground. I rushed in and caught him, _safely this time_. The weight of two people shifted the safety mattress below us, "Got you-!! _Uwah_.... you're actually really light...."

"Ahahaha!! You're also surprised!! Taiga was as well!!" Hiroshi grinned, as he immediately patted on my back. I let him down as he stumbled a bit, standing on his own, "No doubt it, I'm still really light, huh! I thought I would have gained enough to match my figure!!"

"S-Same... I thought you were...._ much heavier_.... guess you just have a really different structure....." I did felt a bit of his shoulder's bone structure, _it is quite broad_. "But that was really dangerous! Don't do that!!"

"Eh? You're going to scold me for that too?" the abseiler asked in confusion. "It's nothing to worry about, it doesn't matter what, I will always get away with minor injuries!!"

_'Minor...'_ My eyes landed on Hiroshi's injured left foot and remembered his story from before. "I get that you wouldn't care if your injury would get better or not but don't you think it's quite risky for you to constantly do these dangerous things... _even for everyone's safety_....?"

"Huh, you're talking about my abseiling job and all that, right?" I nodded in reply. "Well, can't be helped. My place doesn't have the best knowledge in safety precautions. We're quite a small town with little recognition, just a sight for tourists to gawk at...."

_A town located near the mountainous area known for their hiking and rock climbing activities, quite a dangerous location as well. By hearing his description, it doesn't sound like they were being cared for by the higher ups._

"Of course, there's a matter of my younger siblings... Geez, they're such a pain...." he sighed heavily. "As their older brother, I always have to look out for them but since they and other children loves to cause trouble for their elders..... it became an everyday thing to rescue them from ravines, trenches and such...."

"_Everyday!? _Don't you guys keep those equipment in a higher or secured places away from them?!"

"They're annoying but smart, they adapt well with how we manage things around...." Hiroshi replied. "Also they're good at stealing stuffs out of other people's pocket so we have that to deal with...."

"I see.... you have such a difficult responsibility as their older brother, Roshi-chin....." I couldn't imagine getting used to that constantly happening.

"Yeah, but luckily, they know they can't defy me or anything so I have the superior power over them!!" he smirked. "All of them really looked up to me and because I'm the only one they would willingly listen to, my elders counted a lot on me!!"

"It sounds like the entire town became a one big family tree, huh?" I chuckled. "Must have been quite a rowdy town.... I would like to visit one day, mind showing me around the place?"

"Well, if you don't mind getting pick-pocketed by children then that's fine!!"

"...... _That's not something you can easily say to someone planning to visit your hometown, Roshi-chin_....."

After a small talk with Hiroshi who went back to his rock climbing activity, I found myself outside of the gymnasium, _'It's still a bit early.... there's still witnesses around so.... one more person... I guess...'_

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

A soothing voice echoed in the theater house, leading my thoughts and body to the source of it all, "Ah... Setsu- _Gyah!!_"

The opera singer was startled by the sudden noise and turned around, laughing at the sight of an investigator who almost fall over one of the audience's seat, "You got a bit distracted there, huh, Sumi....?"

"Ahaha.... I sort of got mesmerized by your voice......." I laughed my embarrassment off. "It's like you've just cast a spell on your audience to listen to your songs, leading them astray......"

"So like a siren?" Hibiki commented. "I've been compared a lot to plenty of mythical beings. Especially Amane, who called me his muse as well. It's amusing for him to see me as some sort of goddess....."

_'Right, if I remembered correctly, Hibiki is of Eurasian-descent, huh? She must have a bit of knowledge in mythologies to recognize those kind of things....' _"Reminds me of this scary story that they always tell at my orphanage..."

"H-Huh? What's with that sudden connection with singing?" Hibiki sounded surprised. "But, um, I'm curious to hear about your childhood, Sumi....."

"It's something silly really...." I tried to remember the story from before. "Whenever winter comes, the children at the orphanage were always eager to go out and play in the snow. But because we're near the forest, the caretakers were afraid that we might wandered aimlessly and get lost in there so they told us about the sighting of _'this snow lady'_. They warned us, _'If you ventured too far into the forest, you will hear the singing of the snow lady and get carried away by her, you will never find your way out after that..'_ and that's it....."

_"That's horrifying...."_

_"Yeah, needless to say, we were all scared of going out late after hearing that....."_

"That doesn't sound to far off with _sirens_....." Hibiki explained. "My father always tell me stories of his voyages and sometimes scared me with saying that _'sirens are always seen near the docks to lure unexpected and trapped people into the sea to eat their organs_...."

"T-That's actually more morbid that ours....." I pointed out. "But in both instances, _a soothing singing can be used as such a serious weapon_, huh?"

"_In death and punishment_, it seems so...." the opera singer wondered a bit. "Guess we can be quite a dangerous pair as well, huh?"

_'Tricking men, luring them away with our singing voice.... that sounds quite familiar... like a movie or a novel I've read before'_ I thought. "Anyways, you're practicing again, huh? Mind if I join? I did managed to not fall asleep this time after all!"

"You're right!!" Hibiki gasped. "Guess my plan is working, bit by bit. After this, we can finally sing as a duet, probably!!"

_'I'm not sure if I can even managed to match the range of an **Ultimate Opera Singer** but... she's looks really happy to have a partner....' _I made up my mind. _'.. She must have been really lonely to always perform by herself so... to have someone with a similar interest.... must have been a relief for her.... I better pick choir up once more to make Setsu-chin happy. Besides, it might be fun for the both of us to perform together on stage one day....'_

* * *

Evening time has just arrived once I exited out of the theater house. I convinced myself to search for the missing person from our group but truth to be told, I don't know where to start, _'There's no way he would be at the hotel, I'm sure he's somewhere else investigating..... or setting up traps for Monomyou to fall into....'_

"But where could he possibly be...." I thought as I mindless wandered towards _**that place again**_. _'There's only two or three locations that caught his interest but after what happened last time, he wouldn't want to go near them again.... and from what Taiga told me about **Monomyou's strange absence in that place**...... I could only think of-'_

"Ah, so you're really here....."

_The bar_, the place where the_ 'Survival Group' _usually meet up and away from others. And just like always, _**he **_was sitting on the booth, staring at nothing. Well, _'was staring'_ until I called out to him.

"Ah, Shino!" He seemed surprised. "I thought I've already cursed you to be away from me last night!? Did my curse really have failed me right now!?"

"Don't say that as if you're a wicked witch or some sort of a magician....." I sighed, but I'm glad to hear that wild sense of humor he still has. "So you're hiding out in here? Not a great idea,_ Sao-chin_....."

"So you're calling me that still...." the conman laughed. "Quite embarrassing to not have a name right now!! I was waiting for someone else to call me a _'pest'_ or something just so they could spare their time to think of a more ruthless names for me!"

"If it makes you happy, no one's really thinking much about you... they sort of forgot you weren't even there to begin with......" I told him what happened this morning. "After all, when Monomyou did brought you up, they're all worried that you would get them killed...."

"Huh, that's all!!" he laid his head onto the table, pouting. "What a self-centered bunch!! As if I would be even concern about causing them trouble when I have my own battle to deal with!!"

"So you are.... fighting with Monomyou and the mastermind....." I hesitate to even finish that sentence, it sounded way too absurd to believe in it. I sat right in front of him, staring down at his resting head, ".... _Why are you fighting them exactly?_"

"That's classified information, only available for this person!!" he replied with a smile. "I'm sorry but this is a bit more personal, Shino!! I don't think I would even need you and Taiga do the job for me this time! After all, Monomyou have something I needed to get first....."

_"Which is....?"_

"...... _You came here with your own volition_, didn't you?" He purposely dodge the question. "Huh, you're getting more reckless than I first thought....."

"And...? If the others sees you, there are chances that they-"

"_'Others this', 'others that'_, can't you think of a better excuse than using that bunch as your shield....?" the conman sighed. He sat up and glared at me, "I mean, you're good at making excuses for yourself, I will give you that since no one really noticed. But it's also a given _**since no one know you at all**_....."

_I flinched._

"Eh, not like it matters to me or everyone else here at all!!" he dismissed that statement immediately. "Such ashamed, I was getting to like you and Taiga but being outed like that out of nowhere is simply the worst!! Now, I don't have the upper-hand to get that damn cat's head!!"

"..... _**I will help**_...."

"That's not a cry for help, Shino...." his tone switched. "I'm just putting that out there for a dramatic effect-"

"_**No**_, I'm getting irritated that you keep disappearing off to do your own thing..._ fake player or not_, I also wanted to take down Monomyou as well.... I'm... _losing my patience about not knowing anything here_...." I admitted, the thought of others made the heavy feeling inside my chest more unbearable.... _but I have to push it aside_. "... And I don't even believe you wanted to help Monomyou in anyway or in anything.... there's some clues pointing to that even...."

".... _Sorry, but I have to reject your help_. Besides! You will only make matters worst instead!!" he answered back. "Geez, did you say that just so you can sound cool for once? Don't be like that! Honestly, you made me work out over nothing!!"

".... Guess I should have anticipate that reply....." I sighed once more, but managed to put a smile in the end. "So... after this, _you're on your own_..... that's what you wanted, right?"

"You guys can't possibly defeat Monomyou or even try to find out the mastermind's identity as a group so why should I bother with you guys!" he laughed, but fall flat afterwards. "..... Hmph, that's strange. Saying stuffs like that usually gave me satisfaction....."

"It means you're feeling guilty for once...."

"Ugh, ew... it's a gross feeling....." the conman made a gagging noise. "Ah well, it's not like we're not gonna see each other again!! I will drop-by just to drop a snarky remark or anything!! Maybe the blowing up the place part might be on the list after all!"

_What the- Is he really serious about that?! _"If you do that then I really won't hesitate to take you down myself, you know!?"

"Relax! I said_ 'maybe'!_ You got so heated up over some unknown, future possibility!!"

_'Urgh, this conversation really isn't good for my heart and mind....'_ "I will be leaving then... I don't want them to suspect me working with you, I will have a hard time explaining them that....." I excused myself. "..... Say, since you don't have a name...._ don't you have anything else you preferred to be called?_"

"Like I've said before!! The most I expected to be called is _'pest'!_" the conman answered gleefully. "But with the way you asked that!! You're going to give me a name, right!? You're going to give me a new identity!!"

_'Why did he worded it like that?'_ "Hmmm.... _Rei_, then. Simple enough....."

"_Rei _as in _'zero'?"_

"_Rei _as in _'actor'_...." I corrected his usage of kanji there. "Fitting, right? So there shouldn't be any complains coming from you....."

".... Say, Shino. Why are you exactly helping me here?" _Rei_'s question sound really genuine, considering the amount of times he diverged from my questions just now. "I don't really get you and that's the problem here!! You're just all over the place and that really annoys me!!"

_'Rei-chin, that's exactly it....'_ "That's the main problem here, I don't really know it myself as well.... but I guess that what I get..... **_for not having any identity to begin with_**...." With that answer, I left immediately, not bothering to hear a reply from the other. _'It's about time I said that out loud....'_

_.........................._

"_**No identity**_, was it?" _Rei _repeated those words like a mantra in his head. "Hmm....makes sense. _No one in the group really knows her well!_ People can easily list out my traits while dismissing my _Ultimate talent_. But nobody can do the same to Shino at all!! _In the end, she's much more of a fake than anyone else!_"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
The name, Rei, can be spelled as 零 (zero) or 伶 (actor), as mentioned in this story. Interestingly, it can also be spelled as 霊 (ghost). 
> 
> Voice Sample: 
> 
> [Ishimoto Nao](https://sinoalice.wiki/images/b/be/Pinocchio_voice_01.mp3) (VA: Yuuko Sanpei)  
[Asami Mitsuru ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBtJZdvrPeI) (VA: Rie Takahashi)  
[Satoshi Kiharu](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olQ8RW7BtUc) (VA: Yui Horie)
> 
> [Mochizuki Higura](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ensemble-stars/images/c/c9/Tomoya_Mashiro_Voice_Sample_3.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20170502043859) (VA: Hiruma Shunya)  
[Yokoda Machi](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/i-chu/images/0/0a/Noah_Home_Reg2.ogg/revision/latest?cb=20151122013631) (VA: Natsuki Hanae)  
['Mafuyu Hisao'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5vBPbOqxgA) (VA: Shinichiro Miki)
> 
> "Is Rei his final/real name?"  
:)


	28. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Daily Life II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deceased soul wandered into the territory to leave terror in his wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everytime Hisao/Rei appear in any chapters, I just sigh and pray for my fingers to type out his long-ass speech. 
> 
> Also!! Guess the Talent Development Plan story that includes my characters might be on the list after all and what really convinced me to write that was due to the idea of Korekiyo (Ultimate Anthropologist) and Renma (Ultimate Medium in this mode) meeting each other!  
(Translation: I want Renma to deck him).

_"Recharging.... Yay, Nara-meter is fully charged...."_

_"What the hell was that? Did you seriously made us wait for you to wake up so that you can say such a cryptic line?"_

_"Well, well! Our little deer has finally woke up! With this, we can finally start-"_

* * *

_ _

_ **Ding Dong!! Ding Dong!!!** _

_ _

"What the....." I groggily opened my eyes and stared at the clock on the wall, _'Shoot, I actually slept past the morning announcement....? That conversation from last night really eat away my energy.....'_

After such a hectic conversation with _Rei _yesterday, I managed to go back to my room with nobody else witnessing me leaving from the bar. I gave a lot of thoughts on whether or not I should be really taking the conman as an enemy more seriously. Like what the designer said as well, _we don't know his true intentions, risky or not_.

_ **Ding Dong!! Ding Dong!!!** _

_ _

"... I better answer that...." After getting too lost into my own thoughts, I tried to make my appearance look neater before answering the door. "Ah, Hiroshi... what's-"

"_This is bad_....." He said abruptly, sweating and panicking a lot. "Everyone's gathered at the dining hall, best to hurry up and meet with others!!"

Before I could even ask him anything, he hurriedly left for the elevator, not looking back until the elevator doors closed on him. _'W-What was that...? Why is he in such a rush....? Did something happened....?'_

Not wanting to make them wait any longer, I went ahead and prepared myself for the day. _As usual, the day started off with something bad happening down the line._

* * *

The moment the elevators door opened up, I hopped out and dashed for the dining hall, swung open the doors that caught the rest of the resident's attention, "_What happened!?_"

"Hngh, Sumi.... these currents is tormentingly stressful...." Shoma whined in his seat. "The door of death and demise has been sealed shut, a barrier was formed by an unforeseeable evil...!"

"_Door of death_...?" I repeated his sentence all over again in my head and managed to figure what he's saying. "_The mortuary room has been locked_...? But there shouldn't be a lock on its door and Shou-chin is the only one who knows how to get in there!!"

"Not just that...." Hiroshi added in. "The old warehouse was mysteriously locked as well... the lock that I set up myself was changed and tampered with!! Now, _there's no other access to it_...."

"To make matters fucking worst, the storage room and tech room is no longer accessible..." Higura looks frustrated. "Apparently, after a lengthy investigation, some shithead decided that we had enough fun with those rooms....."

_'What the hell is going on? Did Monomyou do this...? Or even Rei?'_ "E-Even so.... I'm not so sure about the last two rooms that were just opened up... I'm sure the other places are still accessible by using the underground passage-"

"_Negative_..." Taiga sternly replied. "When I went with Shoma to check on the mortuary door, the access to the passage was also blocked as well. Or to put it more accurately, _something's blocking the door from the inside of the passage_...."

"That's....." But why would they do that? Monomyou or Rei, why the hell would they blocked our only access to those places right now? Are we getting too close to answering the mystery or something-

_"I was wondering why there's such a ruckus so early in the morning....."_ A familiar voice was heard behind me, and something resting on my shoulder. _"So it turns out to be you guys as usual, huh?"_

"R-Rei!!" the sudden appearance of the conman made me jumped, quickly stepping away from him. "W-Why are you here?!" _'Out in the open as well!' _Everyone's immediately on their guard once he showed up.

"Heya! I'm unfortunately still alive!" He innocently smiled and waved towards the glaring group. "What's wrong? Did something happened?"

"Don't play dumb with us, you fucking traitor!!" Higura hissed through his words. "We know you're the one behind this locked room mysteries!!!"

"_Locked room mysteries_. Huuuh, that's the thing you guys have been making a ruckus about...?" Rei looked at them in disbelief. "I can't believe it!! Making such a big deal over some minor changes!! But yeah, that's right! _I'm the one keeping them away from you bunch!!_"

"Why on earth would you do that....?" Hibiki asked. "Are you keeping something away from us....?"

"More like,_ I'm keeping those places away from you guys!!_" Rei corrected her. "You see, all of you are getting too close to those places and it's getting really tough trapping that feline host if you guys keep interfering. _So!! I locked them up for good!! For my own sake!!_ With that reason alone, there's no other complains I should heed to, right?"

"_Complains_\- You have no rights to even do that in the first place!!" Hiroshi yelled at him. "Those places are really important to us, you know!! It could helped us escape-"

"Hmmm, that's right! You guys are still onto that!! Your missing memories!" Rei nodded, understanding their rage towards him. "Well, how about this; _**forget about it**_...."

_'What was that...?'_

"I said what I felt towards all of you in the end!! _**Forget. About. It**!_" He sang out those last three words as if it's a nursery rhyme. "After all, this whole killing game started because everyone's desperate to know what happened to them!! Let's see here! _**Firstly**! Homare planning to kill because she wanted to know what happened to her family but Hinako retaliates!_ _**Secondly**! Saku's remembered his fame and fortune outside of this place! Because of that, he desperately wants to get out using his friendship with a designer as a crutch, and to shut him up about his past crime, and killed Kiharu!!!_"

When Rei said that second case, I could see Higura's expression tensed for a moment. But, the conman continued mercilessly;

"_**Thirdly**_!! Trying to be a hero, _Amane try to weed out the fake player with such an abomination of a humanity themselves, Nao. This ends with the demise of three people and one of them remembered that she idolizes the **Ultimate Despair**!! _**_Fourthly_**....... well, I'm sure _**that case**_ is still fresh in everyone's mind, _**right?**_"

_'Rei-chin, what the fuck are you trying to do here....' _The others' faces scrunched in pain the moment he said about the fourth case. "That's enough!! There's no reason for you to brought up our past mistakes like that!!"

"Eh? What part of it is a _**mistake**_, Shino?" Rei hummed, ignoring my livid reaction towards him. "Ah! This is another game you're playing, right? _**You're being ignorant**!!_I get it now!"

"This isn't a game-!!"

"_**This is your just reward**_....." Rei swung around and our eyes meet. Suddenly, the same terrified feeling from when I first met him is back. "Monomyou didn't give you all your reward after the last trial, right? So I will be the one who's giving it to you all now; _**a just reward**_. It's only fair for me to bring up the choices that leads everyone in this situation.... _all those hardships, sadness_..._ **the looming feeling of** **despair** that hung over everyone else_..... _**they all stemmed from one problem that everyone suffered from**_....."

"_Everyone believed in a situation where you were trapped to kill others and everyone made that thought into reality_...." Rei said with every single drop of venom in his words. "_And that's the thought everyone believed in_...."

_Deathly silence_. If you dropped a toothpick in the room we're in, you can hear it echoing for a long time. The words that escaped the conman's mouth were words that we don't want to consider.

"Hm? What happened? Did everyone died suddenly?" his light-hearted tone begins to show. "How unfortunate! I thought I could finally do that myself!!"

"W-What...?" I didn't know I still have it within me to talk back.

"I've decided! _I'm gonna end everything that happened here!_ The killing game, Monomyou, this stolen memories mystery... everything will be buried under the rubbles of this hotel!! Similarly how our disappearance was buried under those rubbles in the newspaper, remember that!" Rei laughed at the thought. "This is my moment! My _'Dies Irae'_!! After all!! _I wouldn't want **that person** to escape unscathed!!_"

"What are you talking about...?" Taiga's voice wavered a bit. "W-Who...."

"_The **Ultimate Despair**_......" the conman answered back. "Like I've said plenty times before!! I hate them with every fiber of my being!! But since they're too much of a coward to even show themselves as well as the mastermind, _I would have lure them out with a promise of total destruction!!_"

"Wait, that means you're gonna fucking use us as bait!?" Higura's eyes widened at that. "_There's no way we're gonna fucking let you do that!!_"

"Oh? But Shino was on board about it yesterday, _right?_" My breath hitched and everyone gasped at that. "She was _sooooo _eager to join my revolution but I have to decline! After all, Shino and I are good friends, _there's no way a true friend would endangered their life like that_....."

"Y-You're bluffing!! There's no way Sumi would want to join for something as crazy as that!!" Hiroshi declined those words. "Y-You manipulated her, that has to be it!!"

"Sure, sure, _she's a good person!!_" he said it as if _it's a lie to him_. "Then ask yourself this, _who is she to you? _Right now, I'm doubting everyone's relationship with Shino here. After all, you guys really don't know if she's good or bad here since she has such a strong bridge between _Hope's Peak Academy_, The _Future Foundation _and _The Missing Students' Case of Yumeino Academy!_"

_'He's.... purposely putting me under the spotlight.... what.... what the fuck?' _"What are you getting out of this...?"

"Hm? You still don't get it, don't you?" Rei sighed heavily, putting on such a pitiful smile. "_**You. Got. Tricked. By. Yours Truly**!_ ♥ "

.....

_Huh...._

"Like I've said before, _**this is your just reward**_....." he continued not minding my blank stare. "You wanted to know if I'm being serious of getting everyone out of here from the start!! In the end, it was all a confidence trick by yours truly!! That is my answer to you, Shi-"

Something aimed at the conman as he reacted quick enough, the thing latched onto his arm as he jolted a bit, "_H-Huh!?_"

From the crowd, Taiga held up his gun, his expression darkened, "_**Enough is enough**_...."

Rei was shocked by the sudden change in the marksman, but he later broken down into laughter. "Haaah, the tiger has finally jumped out of his seclusion, huh! So this is the pellet that I've been hearing you created!! How dangerous! I can really feel the static flowing through me!! However!! I would not let this thing kill me yet!! _Not until I get to the mastermind and the Ultiamte Despair themselves_ so _adios!_"

He made a run for it, escaping through the dining hall doors with Taiga and Hiroshi chasing after him. I didn't realized I have fallen to my knees, it feels like I wasn't in the room. _It doesn't feel like I'm physically there_.

"Damn that fucking bastard, I will get him for sure-!!" Shoma pinched the designer's cheek, getting his attention to give him a disapproving look. This time, Higura decided to not fight back, ".... Guess this is just the payback he's been meaning to give to us......"

"Y-Yeah....." I answered, looking away. ".... I'm sorry. It's really stupid of me to even believe he doesn't mean us any harm to begin with....."

"You have a good heart, we can't blame you for that...." Higura reminded me of my willingness to believe in that person. "_You just placed it on a wrong person who's an opposite kind_..."

"Still, I could have never imagined he would go so far as to plan out such an atrocious demise for, potentially, _everyone of us_...." Hibiki mentioned Rei's plan. "To get rid of the villain in a story..... _is to sacrifice everyone's lives for it_...."

"Fuck that!! This isn't_ Macbeth_!!" the designer bites that idea down. "This is some crazed lunatic who thinks the destruction of an entire place is the only way to end this killing game!! There's no way we're gonna lose to a person like that!! Sumi.... I know how much it fucking sucks being tricked and lied to so..... _let's catch that bastard and beat the shit out of him!!_"

I laughed, not forced or act, _a genuine small laughter_. Despite everything, trying to lose their trust they have onto me, they didn't faltered a bit. "That's.... quite a tempting deal..... I was afraid you guys might have-"

"The delirious bubbles of a wild shark would never deterred our collective thoughts about Sumi-critter!!" Shoma cuts me off. "Sumi is our beloved critter who wanted to help everyone! No matter what! _She would never lead us astray from the path of **hope**!!_"

_From the path of hope, was it?_

_Just what kind of path is that really?_

_With this talk about **hope **and **despair **that mattered all of the sudden..._

_It feels like we're playing into some sort of a role here....._

".... It's better we don't see it like that but...." I tried to find a better alternative to that sentence. "..... We shouldn't strive away from _what's right_ and _what's wrong_. Also, I think it's for the best we shouldn't give Monomyou or even Rei the satisfaction... _of relying something like **hope **and **despair**_, it feels like a trap somewhat...."

"That shit really didn't matter in the beginning so don't know why it does all of the sudden. Probably because we remembered stuffs about that _Hope's Peak Academy and its past_....." Higura stated. "But I trust your guts on this one. What's the most important thing is that _we're stopping that bastard and try to take down the mastermind by ourselves_-"

"They're back..... it seemed they lost him...." Hibiki pointed at the two people who chased after the conman, looking really frustrated.

"He's really fast surprisingly...." Hiroshi sighed. "We lost him once he got into that bar... and for some reason, we can't find him anywhere in there....."

"He must have gotten into the secret passageway before we could even see him....." Taiga offered a possibility. "I proposed with set up a trap near every entrances of the secret passageway.... there's no way he would be able to leave there without triggering an alarm or anything...."

"That's good and all but how-"

"_Leave that to me, I know what to do_....." the marksman looks really determined, answering the designer's question immediately. "Sumi.... it would be highly appreciated if you could lend a hand....."

_'He's furious at Rei. Well, I would be surprised if he wasn't. After all, we blindly put our trust in him....' _"Of course I will, I did promised him before.... I would put an end to his plans if he ever planned to hurt anyone of us...."

"_I knew it_... Sumi-critter really did meet up with _that thing_....." Shoma frowned. "This critter wonders why Sumi gave that person a name... and whether or not, that thing was telling the real truth....."

_'Right, I did accidentally called him 'Rei'....' _"Yeah, I really did see him even though I promised I wouldn't.... sorry about that, I can't really leave him alone. But, to be fair, I didn't know he would even try and consider killing everyone else here. If he said that yesterday, I could have done something to try and stop him...."

"Stubborn as usual...." Hibiki sighed. "But that confirms it.... you're not really into his plan or anything. Might as well accept that as a fact from now on....."

_'... I really don't deserve to be forgiven this easily, Taiga and I have been meeting with Rei from the start and behind their backs.....'_ I remembered back the _'Survival Group'_, that name sounds really ironic now. _'Guess this will be our redemption. Taiga and I will really have to planned this counterattack.... and stopped him from going on ahead....'_ "Tai-chin, when will you gonna set up your traps....?"

"This afternoon... I still got a lot of things to prepared and organised so.... it's best if you take a short rest, Sumi...." Taiga advised, with a bright smile. "After all, we're the strongest and smartest duo here!! We're the fort that can't be breached!!"

"Yeah..._ there's no way Rei's actions could be even be compared to us!_" That sentence brought up an uneasy thought in my mind; _could he though? _What is his actual plan right now? How on earth would he even _'destroy'_ this place?

"Yay...! Sumi's cheerful exterior is back!!" Shoma slumped over me as I caught him. "This quiet critter finally mingles in with positivity!!"

"H-Hey, Shou-chin! You're heavy-"

"Alright, cut it out, you two!! This isn't the time to be lovey-dovey towards each other!!" Higura scolded as he pulled the both of us away. "Geez, what a fucking turn of events......"

"Can't be helped....." Hibiki chuckles. "It has always been like this.... but, it's better than such a high tension atmosphere, right?"

Despite what Rei said to us, trying to put us down and all that, _we don't want to give up right now_. Even though he's right, even though after all this time we were blind-sighted by the real cause of this killing game..... it still doesn't mean we should back down and let him have the winning role. _'I definitely won't let him do whatever he wants now-'_

After an enlightening talk, Taiga mentioned how he preferred not to be disturbed during morning time as he's preparing the traps to set up this after noon and Hiroshi volunteered to scout some areas that perfect for the set-up. Finishing my much-needed breakfast, _I decided to blow off some steam by hanging out someone this time...._

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

I went to gymnasium to hopefully exercise in peace, knowing neither Hiroshi or Taiga would be present there. But what I didn't expect is to find a very unlikely person to be there, "Eh.... Hira-chin...?"

"Gah-!? You-!!!" Higura had his feet hanging over the metal bar bolted on the walls, the bar almost reaches his shoulder but he managed to held it up without a problem. "_Why are you here!?_"

"I-I should ask you the same thing...." His showcase of flexibility is really something else. "I didn't expect to see you here...._ or even go here during your free time_....." 

"What? Can a office-jailed person go out and exercise once in his lifetime?"

"_Hey, I'm not sure what you're doing can even considered as exercise but you're surely doing something extreme over there_....." He's still holding out his leg while talking even! "You're quite acrobatic...."

"Like I've said, something like drawing and designing isn't the only shit I've picked up when I was younger!" Higura explained. "Alright, I will spill the fucking tea since you caught me doing this shit._ I'm the type of kid you will find anywhere being berated by people online for getting too much credit_...."

"_**Hah**?"_

"I already made that really fucking clear!! Don't make me repeat it again!!!"

_'S-So... when he was younger, he was sort of popular...? But he was also discouraged by people online...? Probably tabloids or social media giants. He's quite acrobatic and he said that he has experience on stage before- Wait a second!' _"Could it be... you used to be a _child star_... or something like that.....?"

"God, that sounds fucking embarrassing now that you've said it out loud...." Higura clicked his tongue as he put down his foot. "Yeah, I'm one of those embarrassing children whose face is always shown on TV and stuffs like that. But just to be clear, I didn't want any fucking part in that in the first place!!"

_'Embarrassed of his past experience and refusal to be called cute.... all of that stemmed from that time, huh?' _I couldn't imagine Higura, the foul-mouthed person whom I used to now, can ever act so.... _bubbly_. "A-Ah... I... sort of understand what you're saying right now.... But _I'm having a hard time believing you're like_.... **_that before_**...." 

"Trust me, you're not the only one... no one would believe me that I used to be that stupid!" Higura sighed. "It's really annoying! To think people expect me to follow after _papa _and _mama_\- I mean,_** those two deadbeats**_' footsteps!!"

"....... You said _papa _and _mama_..."

"A-And what of it!?"

"...... I'm risking this because _the need to say** it**_ _is quite strong _so feel free to punch me...." I took a deep breath and said it. "_That was unexpectedly cute of you!_" 

"_**You really want to make a death wish, huh!?**"_

He's aiming and swinging his fists at me but none of his hits landed and even if they did, the impact is quite weak. _'I really shouldn't have said that last line but I can't help it. Also, if this is his usual strength then things are gonna be too troublesome down the line for him....'_

"Say, Hira-chin..." I caught his fist that's aiming for my shoulder on time. "As an apology, how about I teach you some self-defense methods?"

"Huh!? What's with that?!" He's struggling to break free from my grip.

"_I can give you plenty of knowledge on how to take down a person twice your size_..."

His eyes brightened up, "_Go on_...."

"I will gladly..." I smirked, _having another plan in mind_. "But the first lesson in my own self-defense method is-"

"Which is what- Whoa, _hey!!_" I pulled his arm towards me as I stepped away, using my free hand to push him down to the ground, still gripping his arm that's secured behind his back. "_You -!?_"

"Always act fast, always take advantage of your enemy's slow reaction....." I triumphantly hummed above him. "Sorry, it's becoming really easy to tease now that I really know you...." I let go of his arm, as he turned around to meet me. "Well, that's one part of the lesson- _Wah!?_"

I didn't noticed he uses his legs, where I'm currently on, to tipped me over and made stumbled over to his side._ He completely took me off-guard the same way I did to him_, "Haha!! Guess you're not the only one who got tricks up their sleeve!! _Eat shit, you sneaky asshole!!_"

_"You little-!!"_

It ended up being a small roughhousing lesson rather than a self-defense lesson. At this moment, I can see how Higura starting to show more of his true nature; _just a child with tough defenses_. Purposely acting negatively towards others because _he's actually scared about their thoughts on him_. To him, _it's better to know you're being hated on rather than not knowing about it_. 

_'Still, there's something within me wants to change that, like what **she** try to do... even though he's been acting like that for possibly a long time. But if I couldn't do that or not supposed to, then it's best for me to teach him something that he could really use to defend himself.....' _

...... For some reason, I started to treat him like a younger sibling I wish I had.

* * *

After such a violent lesson and the designer retired to his room exhaustively, I decided to meet up with Hiroshi and Taiga, whom I can see in front of the old warehouse already. "Do you think he would be really fooled by the traps you set up, Tai-chin?"

"No worries...." He showed off a really thin threads that's only visible when being reflected by light being placed on the lower part of the door. "If this one tripped, it will fired that electrifying pellet I've made onto his limbs to disabled him... _or make him dizzy since it looks like he's immune to it just now_...."

_'Tricks or acts.... it's quite impressive that Rei withstand those pellets, honestly....'_

"Even though I already saw this trap being a success at the cellar area.... _and going through it_....." the abseiler shivered at the thought, _being a tester must have caused him so much pain then_. "_It's still frightening you have this much knowledge about traps and such, Taiga_...."

"It's for my own survival and something that I've learned from my pops' military friends...." Taiga explained. "This is probably the best time to tell that story I promised before the secret motive, huh, Sumi?"

_'I almost forgot about that.....'_ "I won't lie... I'm quite curious.... and I'm sure Roshi-chin as well...." Hiroshi eagerly nodded as a reply.

"Man, I got an audience to entertain! How incredibly stressful!!!" Taiga laughed. "Well... better to water down my story to save some horror at least for spooky ghost tales!! From where I lived, it's quite a ghost town. But it's a ghost town for a reason... because the residents there are completely _**ruthless**_....."

His relaxed face turned serious, the same expression he had whenever he took his aim, "It's a dangerous neighborhood, the moment you left your own house...._ it's best to pray for your safety then_. Of course, being raised in that environment, I've been on high alert ever since....."

_'Wait, didn't he say it before... he always have to be prepared for the worst ever since...? He didn't really finish what he was supposed to say but.... could this be the reason he developed his** Ultimate talent**...?' _"Tai-chin, if it still makes you uncomfortable, then you don't really have to tell us..."

"Hmm.... I guess I'm still too much of coward to say something about it!!" he just smiled at us. "Sorry for such a half-ass story telling time!! I couldn't really bring myself to it!!"

"D-Don't even force yourself then!!" Hiroshi scolded him. "Just because we wanted to know, it doesn't mean you have to tell us all of it!! Besides, _it's yours to decide to begin with!_"

"I really do wanna tell others about my background to clear some misconceptions about the nature of my _Ultimate talent_ but I really, _really can't somehow_...." Taiga looks away. "But at least I got some of the description of my childhood out! That's a plus!!"

_'That's how far he can tell? I-If it's that serious then we really shouldn't push him.....' _I looked at Hiroshi, motioning my thumb making a line against my neck as if to say _'cut it!'_.

"_**Hey!**_ If you're done with that then let's set up the traps on the other doors then!!" Hiroshi let out a strained laugh. "Yup, yup!! Let's set up more traps, just listen to your big bro's demands!!!"

"W-We're around the same age though...?" Taiga replied, confused.

"_Let's just move on forward, ha ha!_"

_'It works... I supposed.....' _I'm silently grateful for the marksman's clueless nature. _'Still, that's not something we should be prying out of him just to satisfy our curiosity.... it's too private...... if it's like that then I wouldn't mind not knowing about it forever.....'_

We set up similar traps at the theater house, casino, gymnasium, library (and the archives as well), the rose garden and the entrance to the mortuary. Taiga also mentioned that if once someone tripped it, it will alert him almost immediately. He has made two similar receivers for both Hiroshi and I, so whoever is the closest will have to check once the receivers starts responding.

Taiga was setting up the traps on one of the back rooms of the bar as he conversed with Hiroshi. I was too busy.... reminiscing about the place we're in, '_Hinako, Amane, Nao_...... _thinking about them while remembering what Rei said_.... _is a lot more painful that before_....._ even so-'_

"Sumi, you okay there?" the abseiler waved his hand in front of my face and immediately snapped me out from my trance. "Are you tired or something, you've been acting really shifty when entered here....."

"It's just....." I can feel the marksman's stare from behind. "This place.... _always seemed weird to me_....."

"Huh? Weird as in?"

"Like.... _Monomyou never entered here_, right....?" an unsuccessful attempt to diverge the real reason why I've been out of it.... _brought up something else important I also remembered during the second trial_. "..... _**No, that's not right at all**_. Higura mentioned he and Mitsuru were kicked out by Monomyou from the bar before nighttime... during that second trial....."

".... _He did_...." Taiga must have remembered it as well. "Then... does that mean....."

"Eh..? Ah, um....? Guys...? I don't really get it....?" Hiroshi stared at the both of us. "I-It feels like I'm out of the loop here...."

_'It wouldn't hurt to tell him what Taiga and I have been wondering, without mentioning about the secret group so....'_ "We've been discussing about this place being the only location _Monomyou couldn't enter before_ but then... I remembered Higura saying Monomyou did entered the place to shoo them away....." I explained carefully. "But when it's just him, Rei, _that host didn't appeared or anything_...."

"We thought it was because of the surveillance cameras, Monomyou wouldn't know anything happening here so they wouldn't have a reason to even go here but.... _look there_...." Taiga pointed at the broken camera that's gathering dust and cobwebs overtime. "_They've been broken down ever since we got here yet that cat still knew Higura and Mitsuru was here before nighttime_...."

"What the- That's just some ESP plot then!!" Hiroshi exclaimed in shock. "B-But knowing that person is the only reason why Monomyou can't enter here, _wouldn't that mean_....."

"_**Monomyou has been likely tampered with before**_....." that's the only logical conclusion I've reached. There's no way the mastermind would do that to just messed us around. The only thing left to ask is '_how did Rei do it?'_

"He has been planning for it since the beginning....." Hiroshi understand it now. "T-The more I think about it.... the more I'm afraid if he seriously succeeded it...."

"Then don't think about it that way...." Taiga tries to encouraged him, pumped up his fist as he went on again, "We will definitely, absolutely catch him and put an end to his diabolic scheme like those *_tonkatsu _shows!!"

".... Do you mean *_tokusatsu_?" I tried to stifled back my laugh as I see the marksman's face reddened by the mistake he made and backing it up with_ 'Shows about cooking can be vigourous as well!!' _Even Hiroshi can't help it but to laugh at his mistake.

"Well, I think that's all for today, isn't?" I concluded our work today. "Tai-chin, if you really want, I can prepare that _tokusatsu _meal you wanted..."

"It's a shame we couldn't watch _tonkatsu _films while eating!"

_"I-It's a slip of a tongue, I swear!" _Taiga shielded his scarlet-colored face from us. "Ahhh! Stop teasing me about that!!"

* * *

**[ _Free Time Event_ ]**

_'That's all done now....' _I think back about the stuffs Taiga told me about the trap he set up. As long as I kept the receiver with me at all times, I will know when it will go off and where exactly._ 'Taiga has done a lot more work in one day, he's quite amazing-'_ "Shou-chin!?"

Right when I was about to enter the hotel, I found the biologist floating at the pool besides it, _facing downwards_. I quickly walked over and try to flip him over, sighing in relief once I saw he's_ at least conscious_, "W-What was that...? You could have drowned!!"

"Hehe.... it's impossible for this critter to drown...! I am, after all, an everyday water dweller that even other critters recognized me...!" said Shoma with a really cheerful expression. "After all.... this critter's lungs has been evolved way above the land dwellers' kind!!"

_'He can breathe underwater a bit longer than anyone else, okay, that one I actually get it....'_ "You have limits as well, Shou-chin... just because you can breathe underwater longer than anyone else, it doesn't mean you should do it so recklessly... _what happened if you actually drowned for real without anyone around_...?"

"Like I've said....! This critter could never drown....!" Shoma pouted, endlessly floating in the pool. "To be the critter of the sea, the ocean... one must be used to the current waves of the environment..... like that this critter's body has been trained to be able to resist such waves!"

_'He has went on many underwater expeditions for his research so he gotten used to it...? I think that's what he's trying to say....? But he said trained, right?'_ "You used to take swimming lessons while you were younger, Shou-chin? Is that why you can do.... _**that**?_"

"Hehe... this critter is dearly beloved by the blue jewel of earth...!" he laughed. "This critter has been flowing through it as far back as this critter could remember on_ the line _that parted the land and ocean.....!"

"Ah, so the beach?" That's easy to decode. "So your parents always bring you to the beach? Must have been a really fun for your family...."

"Unfortunately our trips to _the line_....." the biology continued. ".... has been lessened for unknown reason. Although I made my way to the land like my fellow crustacean, the older generations of this critter began to show concern for younger ones and forbid going out there anymore....."

"S-So... you almost got swept away but managed to go back to your family...." This story is getting wilder and harder to understand. "But since your parents got really worried and wouldn't take you to the beach anymore....."

"Hmm.... although, the older generation didn't look at me with familiarity and this critter don't do the same as well... the environment I was taken to is too lavish for this one to differentiate as well...."

_Huh!? **Huuuh**!? _"Shou-chin!? Doesn't that mean you got kidnapped!? Are you really okay!?"

"Hmmmm... this critter doesn't really.... like older generations.... too noisy, this critter cannot stand loud ringing noises....." Shoma confessed. "But this generation.... is too kind, too warming.... this critter got to them wrong, this one used to believe he was brought up by cold-blooded animals....."

_'.... He keeps saying ringing noises since before... but the only ringing noises I'm aware of... is the one in his own head..... and the way he described his original parents isn't really... kind....' _"A-Are you happy with them..? The one that gave you warmth.... are you happy staying with them...?"

"They're a nuisance, suffocating, annoying, pain in the gills and I want to skewer them like those kinds in seafood buffets...." _That really came out of nowhere_."However, if they allowed this critter to swim in peace... _then this critter will tolerate them_...."

_'I-It doesn't sound like he's unhappy with them..... at least what that last sentence is trying to say. But, if his other parents really cared about him... they would try at least to look for him but they probably didn't. Shoma did said this parents he found always dotes on him..... even so... **just in case**....'_

"Shou-chin, if they try and do anything funny to you after we get out of this place, _please don't hesitate to call me_...."

"Amazing...! This critter has the power to exterminate his older species!! The smothering familial bond can finally be eviscerated!"

"_Call me** for help**, **not**** for extermination**!!_"

* * *

"Eh? Sumi, what were you doing in Shoma's room...?"

"_Take a wild guess on who passed out at the pool again...._"

"Again..." Hibiki awkwardly chuckles. "Thank you for your hard work on taking care of him. It must have been hard for him to lose someone he's really close to but he's lucky to have you around still...."

"..... Ren-chin has been a stable figure for Shou-chin to depend on so.... I wouldn't want to imagine what would happened if I wasn't in the picture....." Besides Rei, Renma is one of the few people I happened to introduced to first. He also helped me a lot back then. "But... thanks to Hira-chin... I think he can do things by himself now....."

"Don't sell yourself short there, Sumi...." Hibiki commented before going back to her room. "If you weren't here... we would be totally lost on what to do... others saying that you're like a savior to us all before doesn't sound too far off now, isn't it?"

Both of us said our farewells as we both retreated to our rooms. There's still plenty of time until nighttime but I couldn't think of anything else to do for today either. The words that Hibiki said just now sort of struck me weirdly, _'Savior..... no, I'm just the spokesperson here....... if I ever hold myself up in such a high position like that, I will surely get burned into crisp......'_

"Like _Joan of Arc_...." a far-reach comparison, really. "But according to the play that Mononmyou made us do.... I'm the devil who tricked someone else into making a deal......."

_Incredibly similar to what Rei did to us earlier- _

_'He said that the play was only the first part of the story to Faust, right...?'_ Right after only knowing the first part to the story, I went to the library the day after the trial to read more about the story. The second part... was really _confusing to say the least_._ 'But at least I found a rather fitting term for our situation right now.... a **Faustian bargain**, a pact between a human and the devil....'_

The cast of the hotel themselves made a pact with Monomyou for the killing game they desired with promises of the answers we needed. _'In the end, it all relates back to what Rei said earlier....'_

"That man.... is seriously twisted for knowing such disturbing things....." It's almost eerie to see how two really different materials can be easily matched-up by its core theme. "..... We will catch him.... no matter what... we will get our answers... _on what his intentions are really_...." 

Saying that while the sinking, dark feeling still rests in my stomach as I tried to sleep in for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * tonkatsu - fried pork cutlet  
* tokusatsu - films with heavily-used special effects, mainly a term for sci-fi, horror and superhero genre. 
> 
> [ FACT ]  
Ishimoto Nao's initials as an author/ghostwriter is 'Na. I' / 'I. Na', another play on the word, Inai (いない / Nothing), referring to how none of the cast really know about her devotion to the Ultimate Despair, background or personality. Despite her simple name, her first name in kanji is 七緖 (different readings about this name but only one is really crucial to the story!).
> 
> Messing with Kanji is fun when writing mystery stories but it still kills me every time I try to make a joke out of it.  
Also! The first kanji for Nao's name (七) can also be replaced with the kanji for Nara (奈)..... speaking of which, who is this 'Nara', I wonder!


	29. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Daily Life III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A game of cat-and-mouse still continues as the cat themselves makes a deal with the bystanders of the whole game. Meanwhile. one of it participants made a different deal with both cat and mouse themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this newest chapter of 'what other bad choices they will make this time' except it's even worst :D  
I'm actually curious of everyone's thoughts about the characters so far at this point so don't hesitate to comment as well!!  
Because my promise to make everyone hate these characters is still on my to do list ww
> 
> Anyways, any questions about this Fanganronpa Story or its characters; you can ask me about any of those things on my [tumblr](https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/) there! I will try my best to be very vague about it ww

_'D-Did I hear something...?'_

I slowly opened my eyes once my ears picked up a strange noise in the quiet room. That strange noise turns out to be just someone knocking on the door, _way before the morning announcement_, _'Not the doorbell...? They.... don't want to alert others it seems... which means it could only be** that person**....'_

As I stretch my limbs around a bit, I went to answer the door to confirm my suspicion, "_I knew it was you_...."

"Sorry for bothering you so early in the morning....." Taiga sheepishly apologized. "But this is a really important matter._ It's about the traps we set up yesterday_....."

I ushered him inside my room to continue our conversation. He then explained about the traps, "I woke up when I heard a beeping noise from my received but it fell dead afterwards. That shouldn't happened..."

"The receiver would only activate once someone tripped the traps, right?" I asked. "For it to stopped like that, did something happened to the traps we set up?"

"Which is why I want you to-"

"Come with you to investigate them? Sure, just give me time to prepare..." I don't need to hear the rest of the sentence.

"Ah, okay...." he looked at me surprised. "I actually want you to just be company for a while since it's still dark outside and the sun hasn't come out yet!! I don't do well in the darkness!!"

"_You're just afraid of the dark?_" That's.... a really normal fear for someone like him. "You don't do well with occult stuffs as well?"

"I was actually never afraid of those sort of things.... _until I met Renma_....." he shivered a bit once he said the mortician's name. "B-But it might be better if I bring along one person to watch my back, ya' get me?"

"Yeah, makes sense.... alright, I'm gonna go get ready in the bathroom for a while-"

"_Oh, you can change here, I'm perfectly fine with it!!_"

"_**I'm just gonna go change in the bathroom**_"

* * *

Dawn is slowly approaching as I silently wait for Taiga who's still working on the broken trap system of the old warehouse. The marksman was right, it did tripped but the device that shoots out the electrified pellets, and sending the signal to our receivers, was heavily damaged.

"Geez, I was afraid that this would happened...." Taiga sighed as he inspect them closely. "I thought the placement isn't too obvious but I guess_ that person_ is smart enough to see through it....."

"Rei's intelligence is somewhat of a mystery...." I quietly commented. "For a street-corner criminal he always claimed to be, his knowledge goes beyond just simple tricks and lies....." '_I mean, I know he's an Ultimate student... or recognized as an Ultimate but there has to be a limit to his knowledge, right?'_

"Oh yeah, why do you call him _that? _Also, what was he even talking about you agreeing to his plan or something?"

"I thought it's far more easier to address him as that rather than just anonymously call him _'that guy'_ or _'that bastard'_...." I answered. "Like I've said before, he said he wanted to take down the mastermind by himself and I immediately volunteered, because I was getting really irritated of not knowing what's going on while he went off to wherever the hell he is right now, disappeared from the face of the earth like a ghost...."

"Well everyone's here are going to be like him if he's still on about destroying the whole place...." the marksman brought up the plan from yesterday. "I can't believe he went off the grid like that after getting exposed as a _**fake player**_. Usually that's the traitor's cue to ditch us but _noooo_, he really wanted that cat's head for some reason...."

"That's what's been bugging me since that disaster yesterday....." the self-proclamation of exposing the mastermind by himself. If he had that goal with him since the beginning, then why dragged people into this little group of his? As stepping stones like what Saku planned to? ".... It feels like he told us a really incomplete plan instead...."

"Your instinct to differentiate a truth and a lie is really hard to understand...." the marksman said as he finished replacing the trap. "If I have that kind of power, I would surely crumble under pressure and stress...."

"I like to give people an equal chance for both sides...." I explained. "I know _Rei is telling the truth_ but that doesn't mean_ he wants to give us the full story or that we should even go along with his plan either_...."

"..... Sorry but I can't really think too hard about it...." Taiga admitted defeat. "I'm not fit for critical thinking so I just follow what I think it's right or even follow my guts to some extent.... I'm more fit to learn things by hands!"

_'That's not really a bad thing....'_ "I mean, you survived this far.... so I guess the people you chose to follow along doesn't seem bad at what they're doing....." I told him with confidence.

"Yeah, and that's you, Sumi!"

"_Thanks_....." I looked away bashfully. "You're done with the traps, right? The morning announcement will start soon so it's better to wait it out at the dining hall...."

"Why is your face red? Did I say something that made you mad?" Taiga asked curiously. ".... Is this those types that Mitsun always talked about? What was it? _Gap moe?_ She said something about you being... _whatever that term meant._..."

_'A-Am I really that predictable...?'_ "She's just messing with you, I can get embarrassed easily if the situation's right..."

"What kind of situation? You mean like-"

"_That's not something you should ever know_....."

Trying to distract the other by throwing in random topics to talk about while on the way to the hotel, I decided to make the yesterday's joke into reality as I made _tonkatsu_ _bowls_ for breakfast, and I can see Taiga still getting embarrassed over his word-flubbed.

"Hey! You two are early!!" The first ones up were Shoma and Hiroshi. The abseiler skipped over to the table, being entranced by the aroma, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!! Having such a hearty breakfast so early in the morning!? Why, that's such a daring decision you're making there!!"

"Huh?"

"Usually people have light breakfast to give them energy for the day!! Eating too much too early will make them throw up later!!"

"....... I have never hear such a saying..." I said while still staring at the abseiler's face, trying to figure out why he even mentioned that. ".... Is that your attempt to say you don't want to have a heavy breakfast?"

"Yup!"

Shoma immediately hit him in the back of the neck with his karate chop and a pout, "Sumi-critter went through the deep sea currents to bring forth some forage and to not be rejected by selfish needs..."

"I-It's fine, Shou-chin...." The moment the biologist brought up his hand, Taiga began to cower in his seat. "I did prepared some sandwiches so not all has gone to waste...."

"But the extra forage has been ignored as an offering....."

"It's not a life or death situation if someone doesn't want to eat them, Shou-chin..." this conversation is getting a little strange. Thankfully, Higura and Hibiki entered just in time. "Good morning, you two.... I've prepared breakfast already...."

"Great....." Higura has noticeable dark circles around his eyes. "Was staying up almost the entire night thinking about the layout of this damn place and then mapping it out...."

"Wait, you really did that!?" Hiroshi exclaimed in shock. "I was just kidding about it yesterday!! I don't really need it or anything!!"

"_**Then fucking say that before I actually did it**_..."

Even though it's a joke, that's way too valuable and useful for our current dilemma now so I told the designer to keep it with him for now. With the map of the entire place and knowledge about the underground passageway, we can figure out where Rei could be even hiding by eliminating some places. It's obvious he wouldn't want to say at the theater house. casino or the gymnasium and he already have the old warehouse and the mortuary.

_'..... Now that I think about it, why only those two places? If he really wanted to be secure then he could have blocked all access to other places as well that has entrance to the passageway.....'_

"Hey, Hi-" I was cut off by the morning announcement tune and what appeared on the screen startled us greatly; a battered-up looking Monomyou.

_ **Ding Dong! Bing Bong!!!** _

_"G-Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!! Rise and shine for another wonderful day!! Ugh... your dearest host is on a rocky path toward victory, nya' see. So, um, please do not fret over this adorable. beaten-up face!! This pest has gotten a lot more resilient over the past two days so... please bear with this host's very slow extermination....! Anyways-_ _ Have a myou-est of day!!!"_

The screen turned black as we all looked at each other worryingly at the condition our host is in. Granted, we don't care if that thing is gonna die or what but if the mastermind has any other plans-

"S-Seriously...." Hiroshi gulped down the lump stuck in his throat. "That guy can deal that much damage to that cat!?"

"That critter.... is a lot more ruthless that we first perceived him as....." Shoma is holding his beloved scalpel that he recently took out. "The rising waves will get rough again....."

"Unless.... the trap from before..." _'Was used on Monomyou instead?'_ Taiga and I looked at each other when we thought about that possibility. It wouldn't make sense if Monomyou already knew that we set them up but unless Rei tricked them into tripping _then_....

"By the by, what happened to the traps that you three set up?" Hibiki asked, her calm facade showing no cracks this time. "Any progress?"

"Ah! We actually finished setting them in one day!!" Hiroshi exclaimed. "Taiga is quite a skillful hunter after all! All the traps are completely set and ready to fire by the secret passageway entrance!!"

"There's... _one problem_, actually...." Taiga confessed. "One of traps was tripped and the signal was sent directly to my receiver but it was cut off.... but I'm not too sure _who _did it but if it's _**that guy**_ then...."

"Shit...." Higura clicked his tongue. "How the hell does he even predict that? Just how much power can one person have!?"

_'It's like he can oversee things easily... like... he's the one seeing through the security cameras or something- wait, what if he's the....?' _That possibility... opens up another different route that makes sense as well. _'Is it possible if **he's the mastermind here**? He purposely played out the act with Monomyou to fool us, as if they're two different people? That... would be logical but there's still not enough evidence-'_

While everyone's still discussing. another surprise jumped down from the ceiling that, unfortunately, slammed onto the dining table and rolled off until the edge, falling the ground. The people nearby slowly sat up and backed away from the _thing_, "O-Owie...._ nyargh!_ T-This host is here to join in the talk as well!! This cutie here have been feeling left out and betrayed altogether!! Fighting for one survival is too harsh! Is this- Is this the true despair of survival!?"

"M-Monomyou....?" I didn't expect them to show up so soon. Not in such a poor condition, they looked even more beaten up than they were on screen just a few minutes ago. "W-What the hell happened to you? How on earth are you even more injured than just now?"

"N-Nyargh... right after the announcement, I was taken off-guard, nya' know!!" Monomyou explained. "That pest has been fucking up my control over the places!! My Mini-doors and adorable Mini-myous have gone haywire as well!! The more this cat-and-mouse game keeps dragging on, the closer he's getting to end this host's life!! Eeek!! I'm sooo terrified!!"

"You're saying that but it sounds like good news to everyone here..." I commented, seeing how none of them look bother by it. "The only issue we have with him is potentially endangering everyone's lives but if he's after you then-"

"Haaaaaah!? How stupid are you guys!?" the cat host scolded, furiously stomping his foot down. "All of you are included as well!! Everyone will surely died by that traitor's hands, no matter what!! _He won't stop until he takes down the **Ultimate Despair** for sure!!!_"

I froze, leaving Hibiki the one to ask them a question, "_Ultimate Despair_.... what do you mean by that? _Who exactly is this Ultimate Despair?_"

"The _**Ultimate Despair**_ is _hmmmm, nggggh_, nyargh-!!" the host thrash around. "Alright, without spoiling the surprise!! This _**Ultimate Despair**_ is like... _a tiny group_, you know! _A group dedicated their life to spreading despair!!_ That's all!!"

"You gotta' be shitting me, there's no way that's all to it..." said Higura with frustration in his tone. "For all we know, you could be lying about it. We saw it all in the death book. Every single of them is dead and no longer exists-"

"Oh, that because _the group is currently thriving while this killing game is still happening!!_" Monomyou said cheerfully. "Nyahagaha- _Ackh!_ A strained throat prevents this host to preform their signature laughter!!"

"_Thriving_....? So they're still around....?" So Nao's right. Despair can't be killed off easily. They're just hiding, adapting. But just... _**where**_. "Are they indirectly involved with us?"

"Like I said, I'm not spoiling anyone's fun!!!" Monomyou sternly claimed. "A-Anyways, this host here wants to make a proposition with you all!! A proposition that all of you could never resist!!"

"What is it this time? You've already done enough collateral damage from the last two cases...." Taiga pointed out,_ the fake player motive_ and_ the labyrinth motive_ being the major factor here. "What more can you possibly do to make us agree with you?"

"Ohh? Not interested??? _Especially when the proposal can make you leave this place with no problems at all?_"

"You're letting us go... _just like that_....?" Hibiki was shell-shocked at what came out from the host's mouth. A chance for freedom, given to us like that. "No, there's a catch. There has to be. It's too kind for a thing like you to even give us like that...."

"Nuh-uh!! No sneaky-icky catch at all!! Just a proposition where both teams gave each other what they want!! I have been a host for so long and we're already at the point where we reached the ending of everyone's story!!" Monomyou laughed. "This is it, _nya' know!!_ This is where everyone's decision reaaaaaally matters for this host!!"

"..... I still don't buy it...." I frowned the more I think about the proposal, _it's wrong_. It feels so wrong to even want to grab hold onto that chance. "Not unless we hear your side of the deal here....."

"I-It's the thing that's currently tormenting your poor dear host. nya' know?!" the host whined as crocodiles tears starts pouring out endlessly. "This host desperately needed protection and company!! _It's too sad to get killed alone!!_"

".... Wait a second, then what happened to your _'no violence against the host'_ rule then??" I asked, my suspicions against the host's intent is getting higher. "You didn't hesitate to brought it up when you faced other people alone so why is Rei-chin the only exception? Why can he attack you directly but we can't?"

"Nyaaarghhh!!!" the cat flailed around his stumped hands. "That's the problem, you no-good investigator!!_ I can't attack him for some reason!!!_"

"It's like he's going to explode if we don't listen to what he says....." Hiroshi hid behind the biologist. "H-Hey, Sumi... I don't think we can just-"

"_**No**_...." I answered the host's proposal from earlier without heeding others' thoughts for. "No, we're not gonna give you that. You said so yourself, right? We're all gonna get involved no matter what? If we placed you under our care, it's either we will die by his hands or yours..... _it's pretty insulting to be killed by a shitty plush's useless hands the more I think about it_....."

Hiroshi and Taiga gasped at that last sentence and Higura stepped forward, "H-Hey, don't aggravate them like that you idiot-"

"But let me offer this proposal instead....." I offered them a solution before the murderous aura emitting from the cat will be translated into reality. "_We take down Rei-chin then we can play your usual game_....."

"Eh? The usual game?" Monomyou tilts their head in confusion. "Normally I would slaughter you for disobeying and calling me useless but this proposal sounds kinda interesting! What _'usual game'_ you're talking about, Ms. Investigator?"

"_**A**_ _**Class Trial**_.... but instead of it being about_ the death of a friend_...." I hope this bluff works. "How about we bet it on _the identity of the mastermind?_ _Our lives for the revelation of the mastermind_. It's an equal price for both sides wanting different things....."

".. aha.... Nyahahahaha!!!" Monomyou's loud, lively laughter rung out in the dining hall, echoing off the wall to create such a haunting atmosphere. "Amazing!! Spectacular!!! That's.... That's truly a magnificent offer!!! Such a magnificent play you proposed to this one and only host!!"

"So you accept it or-"

"Of course, I would accept it!! This host has been waiting for this kind of act of bravery for a long time!!!" Monomyou jumped to take my hand, shaking it ferociously before letting it go. "You're truly a blind-sighted ally of justice, Ms. Investigator!! No one would offer such a dangerous idea for the lives of others!!"

_'What other choices do we exactly have here... in the end, we will only get our answers someone else get killed.....'_ That possibility bothers me till no end. _'I need to play my cards right, like Rei did.... my act won't work if I'm not serious about it...' _"Then, it's a deal.... if we failed to uncover the truth behind our missing memories and the mastermind, _torture us however you like to your heart's content_....."

"Oh my, such an alluring reward!!" Monomyou jumped around in excitement. "It's been a while!! Oh! It's been such a while!! A wild card, indeed!! But only if you able to subdue that wild pest that we could play our usual game, right? Well then!! I will accept but if something goes wrong, the deal's off!!"

"And what does that mean?"

"_I think you know what it meant very well_...." I glared at host as it snickers away, stumbling passed through the dining hall entrance until we heard a trap door opened up and closed at the same time.

"We gotta get that person as quickly as we can...." I immediately caught their attention. "... Listening to Monomyou won't do us any good and following Rei's plan will bring us to our graves too soon.... _so I can only come up with this instead_....."

"You- You literally made the same exact thing!! You gambled our lives for something that we don't know anything to yet!!" Higura yelled. "Are you seriously out of your mind!? Why would you do that!?"

"H-He's right...." Hibiki mumbled out her words. "Even if we do managed to take down that person, we still wouldn't know the answers to-"

"_Rei has the answers_... he just refused to give it to us...." I sharply answered. I really hate going back to relying on the same person who started this whole thing but.... _he's our only hope now_. "I'm not forcing you all, I will do it by myself if I have to...."

"A-Aren't you worry getting killed? By... _that person_......" Hiroshi asked, worriedly. "He said so himself..... he won't hesitant to do it if he sees any of us alone....."

"_I'm fine with that, it's a risk I'm willing to take_...." My old motto as an investigator. No matter what the job is or how dangerous it is, it's a sentence I always say to my clients and mentor. ".... If everyone's too scared or even don't want to have part in this then it's fine, I won't blame you. I think it's better if one person face him alone, we wouldn't anything else that could endangered everyone's lives-"

"Then what the about you?" Higura cuts in. "Your life is fucking valuable as well. We don't want to send our friend to the fucking slammer just like that....."

I was taken back by those words. It's my first time hearing those kind of words. It's..... _bittersweet _to hear that now, "Please believe in my talent as the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_.... It won't fail, I will never let it fail-"

"We always believe in you but as _**Hoshino Sumire**_.... not as _**the Ultimate Private Investigator**_ or whatever....." the designer corrected. "_You're more than your ultimate talent_, you're more than whatever identity that bastard said we don't know about. _You're our friend_, that's what important here....."

_'More than talent..... 'talent is everything'... talent is what creates your individuality...'_ "I.... I'm happy to hear that....." I can't lose my composure now. They will surely see right through me. "For now... let's just enjoy the rest of the day.... I will begin my own part later during evening time....."

"If Sumi said so...." _Crap_, I think Shoma and Taiga saw right through me. Giving me such worrisome looks that I knew too well. "This critter will go swimming....! Tiger shark, join this critter as well to build up your longevity!"

"Why is my lifespan being the main factor in swimming here?" Taiga asked dumbfounded. "W-What are you gonna do to me if I refused!?"

Without a word, Shoma dragged Taiga with him who's still protesting behind until they're out of our sight. Higura just sighed, "At least that weirdo is the only one not so affected by this.... _wish I have his resilient_...."

"I-I think yours is already a normal reaction to be bother by such a dreadful situation...." Hiroshi awkwardly laughs it off. "Well, it's a shame I can't go back to the gym without accidentally trigger the trap so I will be hanging out at the rose garden for relaxation!!"

"I will be in my room then...." Hibiki replied, ".... been needing to calm my heart ever since that disastrous host showed up. Ah, Higura, you needed my thoughts on your next piece, isn't that right?"

"Yeah, I need something more... exquisite, like something foreign this time...." Higura grinned. "Sumi, if you have any ideas as well or just wanna have a time-off preparing that crazy plan of yours then feel free to drop-by!"

"I will...." I gave it my best, _a smile for them_.

<strike> _ **.... But that's all I can do.** _ </strike>

* * *

After having a small talk with Higura and Hibiki on the way to the elevator, I decided to walk out of the hotel to check on the certain two people by the pool. Surprisingly. Taiga is the one that's floating now and Shoma's just sitting by the edge of the pool, "Shou-chin, is he still breathing or....."

"The impact this critter created as he clashed with the pool is loud...!" Shoma answered back. "I would say he is in shock and will recover in matter of seconds!"

"_So he passed out after you pushed him in_..." I reached out and grabbed onto the marksman's sleeves and pulled him closer to our side. "Good, he's still conscious... _slightly_..... Shou-chin, you should take responsibility for his state...."

"Ehhh.... how troublesome....." The biologist just slides into the pool, pouting, clearly not wanting to deal with it. "It's the tiger shark's fault for not wanting to dip in....! When I asked nicely even.... the fault lies on him for falling over nothing....!"

"You could have at least caught him...." I pressed down onto the marksman's chest, trying to revitalize him as I repeatedly pushed down using the palm of my hand. "If you don't at least apologize to him, then I would seriously hate you for that."

"H-Hate...!!" He grabbed onto the edge once again. "T-This critter will apologized!! Please don't hate this critter ever again!!"

".... Just kidding...." I laughed. "I'm not that cold-hearted to hate you for such a minor thing, Shou-chin. Just teaching you a lesson here, since you said so yourself. _'Scolding others will let them know it's not a good thing to do,' _right?...."

"Sumi is too cruel, she almost stopped this critter's heart from beating ever again...!" the biologist faked a sob as he covered his eyes with the sleeves of his lab coat. "Ah... this critter will surely die from negativity, please don't use that word ever again!"

"Shou-chin, you're really weak against stress, huh?" It's something I begin to notice from how he worded that feeling of his. "Is this why you always float around without a care in the world? To de-stress yourself?"

"Hnngggh... if I don't, I will hear strange noises....." the biologist confessed. "I haven't heard any of the critter friends for so long that this critter began to hear strange noises instead....! If this critter just float around and remembered back the fun times with other critter friends when all went for a swim, I will no longer hear those noises...!!"

_'Hallucinating noises.... so it is **that**...' _"I guess those two things are connected..... sorry that I prevented you from swimming before this...." I apologized to him. I do worry about his physical appearance but I'm now even more worry about his internal stasis. "If you want, I won't bother you for the entirety of the day... you can freely swim around with no disturbances.... _unless you helped out this person here_...."

I patted on Taiga's chest harshly as the other coughed in response.

"Sumi-critter has been harboring such malicious intents... but to aid a friend, this critter won't reject it.....!" He pulled himself up and immediately carried the marksman in his arms, bridal-style. "To indulge the critter in crystal clear paradise.... I will complete that task!!"

I watched as the biologist easily carried the marksman to the elevator with no problem,_ 'With that taken care of.... I still have some time before I make a move.... so... I might want to go to that place again before I get really dragged down by reality....'_

* * *

**[ Free Time Event ]**

"Roshi-chin, you're......_ what are you doing?_"

"Ah, Sumi!! Well, it's quite obvious of what I'm doing right now, isn't it?" Hiroshi grinned as he looked up at me. "I'm doing a handstand of course!! Can you believe this was considered to be for relaxation!! Back at my place, I always teased others about this and that I'm the only who can stay in this position for hours!!!"

"... Your face is turning into a frightening different color so I think you have to stop it now....."

"Gladly!!" He pushed himself up and backwards, landed on his feet safely. "What brings you here? Are you here for relaxation as well? This garden is sort of therapeutic for the eyes!"

"It's the only good place I could think of.... or even the library...." The library has been vacant without its usual caretakers around. "What about you? It's weird not seeing you exercising or anything...."

"Well, even I have to take a day off!!" He exclaimed. "After all, I don't wanna strained any other muscles! I will surely get an even worst injury if I overdo it!"

"An even worst injury....?" He's talking about his left ankle, right? "Have you had any other climbing accidents in the past?"

"Plenty of them!!" _That's way too cheerful to admit_. "Broken bones, ripped tissues and sore muscles, all those minor stuffs!! But I always come out alright in the end, ya' know! I always get back into business!"

"H-How are you still alive....." All of those things are way too serious rather just _'a minor injury'_. "Then your left feet.... that's the most recent one?"

"Yeah, unfortunately...." he deeply sighed. "After hearing that this thing will only get worst and never better.... I became overly cautious to the point I refused to touch my climbing gear ever again! But with the incident of the tourist that got stuck in the pit and my younger siblings being such asses, I ended up getting back in action despite my elders' warnings!!"

"Elders....? What about your parents...?" They have been talking about those people at his hometown but he never specifically mentioned about his parents in his stories. Judging by his grim reaction, _it's not going to be a nice story_.

"They lived somewhere else, somewhere in a big city from what I can remember...." He explained, his grin fell as soon as I mentioned them. "Well, can't really blame them, they have to make ends meet for everyone. They would often send us the funds and extra pocket money so we weren't entirely cut-off. Just that..... _we barely remember their faces_, that's it....."

He quickly slapped his own cheek in an instant, I was getting caught up in his own emotional turmoil that it took me by surprise, "But!! I won't let such sadness take over me!! They're working hard for us so I have to work harder here too!! I need to be the prime example that their big brother won't easily give up at such a dangerous situation!!"

_'... Yeah, it's better for everyone to make it out alive... to reunite with their family..... especially for someone like Hiroshi, their reliable older brother....' _"... It might serve as a really wild bedtime story for your siblings back at home...." I joked around. "They might be even star-struck from hearing them....."

"I'm not too sure about the wildest story they will ever hear but we sure witnessed some unbelievable things!" Hiroshi pondered. "One time! This really elderly man that used to live near us once fought two bears, bare-handed!! It was a ferocious battle!"

"A-Ah, I see....." I'm slightly curious about what happened to the elderly man, after hearing the words _'used to'_. ".. .You're quite an unpredictable story-teller, I'm sure your siblings would have a blast hearing it from you, despite what they heard or witnessed already...."

"You're quite a thoughtful person yourself, Sumi!!" He patted my head. "You're still on about visiting my hometown, right? I'm sure they will love to meet you!! After all, _'a friend of their big brother is bound to be someone worth messing with'!_"

"_Roshi-chin, that sounds really ominous, what are they exactly planning here?_" Hiroshi just laughed it off and continued patted my head. Thanks to this, I firmly believed he's acting like, _he's everyone's big brother here_.....

* * *

_'It's about time.....'_

After passing the time with Hiroshi at the rose garden, I decided to head immediately to the bar like last time. There's no definite chance that he will show up again but it's better from waiting outside the trap-filled location already until nighttime.

_'It's also easier here since I'm near most of those locations so I would immediately know if any of the traps have been tripped.....'_

I let out a big yawn and my eyelids starts to feel a bit heavy, _'That conversation with Monomyou earlier really did drained all my energy away... damn it... maybe... a short nap... would be alright....'_

Without even thinking, I lay my head onto the table booth and slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

................

...........

_"How risky...! The **Ultimate Despair** is such a risky group!! Wouldn't believe they're well hidden inside the academy right now! Can't wait to delete their existence from the face of the world!"_

_"With this information, I couldn't imagine the headmaster or any of the student council overlooking this.... they should have noticed these suspicious activities between these people...."_

_"Hey, hey, don't pin the blame on us, the student council, even though I'm just their simple treasurer! Hah! But I'm getting really interested! I wanna mess with these people some more!"_

_"Don't get too involved with them..... you wouldn't know what will they do to you...."_

_"Does it matter what they will do to me, of all people? I need stimulation, you know!! If I have to lay low and dormant for too long, the two of you later won't be able to tell the difference between an unmoving corpse and a bored treasurer!"_

_"I prefer one of them since they know how to shut up..."_

_"**Shiro **and **Shino**... stop fighting.. you're making this poor **Nara **here suffering from a headache-"_

........... _  
_

................

_'W-What was that!?'_ I jolted upwards, slowly reeling from that dream. Or was it even a dream? It... felt like another missing memory, like the one I experienced during the investigation of the Tech Room._ 'That was.... Eiichi... Oshiro Eiichi was there and a girl named Nara....? I-I don't get it, why was I there as well?'_

Three people discussing about the _**Ultimate Despairs**_, three people being transferred from the Hope's Peak Academy to its sister school to investigate the missing students case. _So those were the three people they've sent? 'But why send away a lucky student out of all people-'_

_"Hey, you look like you had a nice time napping! Are you finally acknowledging the thorn in the room, now?"_

"H-Huh?" I turned to find the source of that _familiar _voice and met with a mischievous Cheshire-like smile on the person's face. "Y-You-!!"

"Hahaha! Yup, it's me and the only me, Rei-chin!" the conman presented himself loudly. His long coat is nowhere to be seen, the end of his white shirt is neatly tucked into his trousers. "My, my, it's been such a long time since I've last seen your stupid face- _Ackh!!_"

"_Got you-!_" I wasted no time, I immediately shoved his face down, both of us fell onto the floor. After catching him off-guard, I flipped him over, his front facing the floor as I securely locked his arms in place and on his face with my knees pressed against it, "_You're not running away this time_...."

"Ahahaha! I'm getting rough-handled so quickly this time!" Rei chuckles. "I'm kind of sad really!! I thought you would miss me already! And I really thought you would actually kill me on the spot right now! Such a shame, you already have that opportunity now, Shino!!"

"I'm not gonna do that....._ not yet at least_...." I have to stay calm, not get annoyed by his tricks. "We made a deal with Monomyou-"

"Annnnnd I'm already loosing interest...." the conman clicked his tongue. "So you're willing to make a deal with a hostile enemy and not me- _Ackh!_"

I twisted him arm around, "_You're part of the deal_, Rei-chin. I made sure it's even for both side.... if we managed to give up your plan and cooperate, we will participate in the class trial and find out who the mastermind behind this killing game is. If we don't, then we will all get executed.... in the end, _both parties are bound to lose something_....."

"I see, I see!!" Rei nodded. "So if we cooperate, then we will stripped away the enjoyment of the killing game for the mastermind and have him exposed!! And if we lost, the mastermind will ended up getting an unsatisfying ending to their killing game!! That's really unlike you, Shino, to make such a dangerous deal!!"

"Thanks to _a certain someone_, I have to make it...." I sighed. "It's also another way to get you to listen.... also, you wanted the mastermind's head, right? This is your chance to get it instead of playing this ridiculous chasing game with Monomyou...."

Ironically, I sound more like him when talking about the deal, Rei was just hearing it out and went into a deep thinking state as he became quiet all of the sudden. I felt an unusual bump around his right wrist, I looked down and realized it was that futuristic bracelet thing that I noticed before, when the secret motives showed up, _'This again..... just what is thi-'_

"Alright!! I will play your game then!!" He tried to sit up, successfully getting myself off of him but his arms are still locked in place as I grabbed on his shoulder firmly. "But, this seems too suspicious for Monomyou to believe in!! We needed to make it look like there's a turmoil between the group and I!"

"What does that mean-"

_And right at the corner of my eye-_

_ _

_ **BOOM!** _

A loud explosion went off near the entrance of the bar, I barely took cover as it flung me backwards, almost hitting the booth behind me. My ears are ringing, mind gone blank as Rei stood up, massaging his wrists, "How disastrous! I never thought it would make this much damage!! Honestly, that woman should have make a more detailed explanation!! Oh well, if it works, it works!!"

"W-What the fuck...?" I tried to focus on the scene before me, the bright light from the blaze being set by the explosion, "What the fuck did you just do!? Was that the-!!"

"The explosives that I promised yesterday? Yes! You thought I was lying?" Rei laughed it off. "You should know I would never lie!! Aaaaaand! Judging by this alone, the explosion must have already set off at the old warehouse and the theater house as well!!"

"You idiot...!" I gritted my teeth. "Just what do you get from doing all these insane things!?"

"Hmmm... _fear!!_ I want to be the one who will strike fear in everyone else!! Not Monomyou, not the mastermind, heck, not even the Ultimate Despair, the group themselves!" He inched closer and close with a smile on his face. "_I want everyone to be so afraid of dying by the hands of such a low-life man that they will be ashamed of it, even when they get into heaven as well!_"

_Insane, his morbid plan is fucking insane._

_And that gleam in his eyes...._

_..... it's almost fitting to even call him the **Ultimate Despair** at this point._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
I'm sure everyone realized it by now but my source of inspiration for the characters and their speech-tics are from NisioIsin's light novels, Monogatari and Zaregoto Series, along with another light novel author Akira (日日日).  
Rei, Sumire, Shoma and Taiga are characters heavily inspired from other existing characters while the others are just me trying to work around their personality based on their background and the environment they grew up in while developing their ultimate talent!  
It's kind of funny that the only thing that's Danganronpa-inspired here is it theme (Hope/Despair) and the class trials ww
> 
> I can't recommend watching the Monogatari series since it's a very heavy-dialogue show with flashing cards that only went up for one second each before switching back to the main thing (and it's also a harem genre show so I'm not sure how many people are interested in it!) but trust me, the wordplay in the series is fucking insane.


	30. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Daily Life IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I wanna tell you something important but it must be kept as a secret between the two of us... even though it will become meaningless once we both become fakes...."
> 
> A sight from another eye from above, a sight from familiar eye from below.

**[ Higura's P.O.V ]**

The walls of my room shook as my concentration during painting broke when I heard a loud explosion outside the hotel, "_What the fuck!?_"

_'Mochizuki Higura, the Ultimate Graphic Designer, who _ _survived four class trials so far with so much distress in his mind would be shell-shocked about an explosion going off. _ _But concerning a bunch of shit he has to listen and go through for the past two days, this warrants that immediate reaction.'_

I abruptly opened the door and didn't bother to lock it, almost bumping into Taiga who's standing in front of the opposite door, "Hey-! Watch it, you idiot!!"

"Y-You heard that right!?" Taiga asked in a panic. "T-That was an explosion, right!?"

"We will know what it is as soon as we get there, now let's fucking go now!!" Just as I said that, Hibiki came out of hers. She almost asked the same thing before I cut her off, saying that we should hurry up already. And so the three of us boarded the elevator, fearing of what's to come. However, I felt uneasy... _about something different, something's different the moment I stepped outside my room_.

The presence of smoke in the reception area is clear as the elevator door opened and we rushed out to the nearest blazing sight, the bar area. There, we met up with Hiroshi and Shoma who wouldn't go near the site, "You two! How the fuck did this happened!?"

"T-This critter didn't know....." Shoma stammered over his words. "The situation was calm and serene... until this place exploded into flame....!"

"Not just that!" Hiroshi exclaimed. "The theater house and the old warehouse also went up in flame!! I-I was about to go back to the hotel to check on you guys!!"

Everyone gathered around the site, no one's in serious danger or anything yet. Thank fucking goodness, everyone's safe. _Wait a second_\- Is this really everyone? We're missing someone else- Someone... _vibrant_-

"Where's Sumi?" My eyes widened once I remembered. "Shoma, where is she!? Didn't she went out earlier!?"

"T-This critter don't know where.....!!" he cried out.

"She must have gone somewhere to look for.... _that person_...." Taiga explained, horrified as realization hits him. "Which means... she must have gone _in there_....." He pointed at the burning building, everyone's faces contorted in horror.

"No way...!!" Hibiki covered her mouth, legs on verge of crumbling underneath her weight. "W-We need to do something!!"

"Damn it, where is that damn cat when we needed them!?" Usually, whenever we mentioned their name in a desperate situation, that thing will eventually show up._ And they did_. At least, their mini versions, so called_ 'Mini-myous'_, did. Countless numbers of small cat robots dressed in firefighter gears made their best attempt to put out the fire, and ultimately jumping into it instead.

And that's when the main attraction appeared, "D-Dearest guests! I hope everyone's safe and sound!! Don't worry, this magnificent host is always well equipped and on stand-by when a tragedy struck!! Let my precious little bastards do their job! All of the locations will be tended to at once!!"

"Enough with that!! One of us is still in that building!!" I yelled at the grinning bastard. "Can't you do something about it!?"

"Huh?_ One of us??_" Monomyou asked as they proceed to count the remaining guests before they pieced it together. "Oh! Miss. Investigator is still inside that building? That's a shame! I thought she would have enough time to get out before the bombs detonated! Nyahahaha!!"

"Bombs....?" The only person who would even do this and that we knew about it was.... "So it really is _that person's_ doing...." _Rei_, was it? Sumire gave that person _a name_. Honestly, she's too empathetic towards him. "N-Never mind that!! Just move your fucking ass and save her already!!"

"Oh? But she already is saved! _By that person you guys keep referring to even!_" Monomyou laughed. "Nyaha! I've only saw it for a brief second!! But she's safe and sound with_ that person!!_ Of course, I can't promise you all whether or not she will stay in one piece if she's with _that person_ for too long!!"

"You little-!!" _Stop it_. This shithead is clearly putting everyone on edge here, forcing us to act irrationally. We can't afford to make anymore mistakes now...... _even with Rei still around_. The Mini-myous have already put out the fire, the building still retain its foundation and shape with the smell of burnt wood in the air, "Then doesn't that means.... they went through that secret passage...?"

"I doubt that conman would willingly bring anyone into his hiding spot...." said Hibiki. "B-But... if he's not that cold-hearted then...."

"This critter suggests we investigate all burned places....." Shoma suggested. "We, critters, go in a school of two for three buildings...!!"

"You're counting in Monomyou as well?" I get what he's trying to do, he's trying to trap that bastard with one of us so that they wouldn't go off and do anything else behind our back. The only problem is _the person that will be with them_.... "Hiroshi, are you fine with partnering with our host for a while?" I can't trust that thing with Hibiki.

"H-Huh? I don't really mind but....." the abseiler side-eyed at the cat host with stupid pleading eyes as he scrunched up in disgust. "Okay then! If they misbehave then I would tie them up with no problem!!" He shows the rope he held in his hand, presumably from his climbing gear.

"Eeek!! T-That's still considered violence, ya' know!!" Monomyou refuted. "However!! I-It's the host's responsibility to make sure their guests are safe from tragedy after all!! I won't go back on those rules!! I'm not a rule-breaker at all!!"

_They already broke that moral code so many times before this_. Hiroshi and Monomyou at the old warehouse. Hibiki and Shoma at the theater house. There's at least one person in the team that's familiar with the place's layout with another one to help them out if they're in a risky situation (except for Hiroshi, I told him to leave the host be if they're in trouble). And so, the bar area is left to Taiga and I.

If I remembered the map correctly, the passageway underneath the bar area was split into three paths; one that goes right to the cellar and mortuary room, one the goes to the catacombs and the other mystery route that leads to a dead end. _Or something else_.

I managed to find out where each routes leads once I completed making the map of the entire place and overlapped it with the passageway map. I'm glad my hard work actually pays off at the end. _The only problem here is something unpredictable will happen_......

"Let's check out the entrance to the passageway.... you know where is it, right?" Earning a confirming nod in reply, Taiga lead the way to the back of the employee area of the bar where the said entrance was thoroughly destroyed by the fire, leaving traces of the broke trap system the marksman set up behind.

"Seriously, again....?" Taiga sighed heavily. "Well I can excused this one at least....."

"It must have been destroyed in the fire...." I mentioned, looking at the remains. "Taiga, how does that trap system work actually?"

"Ah, I made it simple enough!!" the marksman explained. "There's a thinly laid out thread being set up in front of the door and once someone accidentally walked into them then it will unleash those electrifying pellets that I've been working on!! A signal will be sent if the trap was tripped and the nearest person with the receiver would usually get informed earlier! The people who only have those receivers are Sumi, Hiroshi and I!"

"Then did Sumi went into this place.... because the trap was set off?"

"Hard to tell, since the thread is burnt off..... but...." Taiga seems to be counting something inside of a small metal container. "... That's odd... _one of pellets are missing_. If the traps was set off, there should _two out of four pellets released at the same time_...."

"Maybe it fell off and got destroyed once the fire broke out?" That still sounds unlikely but I don't anything about these kind of stuffs either. "But just how that person even get throu-"

I heard a loud beeping noise nearby and instinctively I grabbed up a broken glass shard nearby, glancing behind for intruders. Trying to make out the direction of the sound, it came from the Taiga instead, "What was that? Is that the receiver-"

"No, this is different_..._.." he's fumbling with the block-y device in his hands. "It's the transceiver that I have... _which means Sumi who has the other one still has it!! She's still alive!_"

"Patch us through, hurry!"

_Click!_

_"-ey, stop messing around- Hello? Can you guys hear me-"_

I let out a sigh of relief with a small smile, _she's still here with us_, "You fucking moron.... you actually survived....."

_"Yeah... I'm surprised as well....."_ A small laugh from the other side. _"Sorry to make you all worried... but we're alright down here...."_

"We?" Taiga asked.

"_Yuuuup!_" Another voice joins in, _a familiar irritating voice_. "_Whaaaat? Did you guys forgot me already? I'm still alive too, ya' know!! I even save Shino here like a valiant hero!! Honestly, the disrespect I keep getting even after I was exposed!"_

"_Rei_..." A name he now goes by. "Can't believe a fucker like you would have the balls to explode the whole building off like it's nothing, you really have a death wish to drag us down with you...."

_"Ehh... not really, it's more like you guys are just inconveniencing me!"_ The nerve of this guy! _"I appreciate the compliment though! I must admit, the explosion went off way too well for my liking!"_

"What does that-" I heard muffled arguing in the background as Sumi demands Rei to give her back the device. "What's going on over there?" Taiga sounded really worried.

_"It's best if we talked about that later!"_ She mentioned all of us in that sense, does that mean she managed to convinced Rei to follow as well? Negotiating is her strongest suite so I wouldn't be too surprised. _"I want everyone to meet up at the dead end of the passageway-"_

"Dead end....?" Taiga stared at me, confusedly. "What could be there...?"

"If it's that urgent then....." If I have to placed my guess, ".... maybe they found something else related to our missing memories...."

With the noises from the transceiver ceased, we immediately went down to the underground passageway as I lead the other to the said dead end of the tunnel, before he stopped me, "W-Wait! We have to get the others as well!!"

_Shit, what a fucking bad time to split up-_ "Make sure to go ahead and get Hiroshi first! We can't leave him with that bastard cat for too long!! I will go get Hibiki and Shoma!!" I scrambled and shoved the two maps I kept with me against his chest, "Use this, I got this place sorted already!!"

"A-Alright, be careful, okay?" And we both parted way.

_Hoping to get to our destination safely_....

* * *

**[ Sumire's P.O.V ]**

"Well, well, well.... you've made a rather terrible decision to see me. huh, Shino?" Rei chuckles as he just lay down on the dirt floor. "If you just delay your plan for today then it would have been perfectly fine for both sides!"

"_And whose fault was it that we ended up in this situation?_" I flicked his forehead as he winced. He ended up like this after both of us fought over the transceiver. "Also, get up from the floor, your clothes will get dirty..."

"Huh, haven't heard that for a long time now..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Rei smiled widely. "But I'm surprised you kept calm at a situation like this! Even though you were almost at my throat earlier right before I took you into my domain! You regained your cool detective facade and get right back to work!! You got everything at your disposal at all times, huh!"

Well, thanks to someone like him existing, I have to be overly cautious about what I'm planning. Of course, what's supposed to be a peaceful talk turned out to be a disaster in the end, "We can't afford to lose anything right now... not when we're so close to solving the mystery....."

"I see! So that's why, huh!!" the conman furiously nodded. "Then guess I have to behave for now!! I will have to stay put since I don't want you to go off, crying once nothing goes your way!"

"I'm not a little kid, just what are you on about?" Just when the other about to reply, I heard footsteps approaching. My hand is on my airsoft gun as I slowly approached the source, "_I will be going ahead_....."

"Always up front!! Such a suicidal trait!!" He's now sitting on the floor, back leaning against the metal door behind him, _the metal door that's the end of the passageway. The door that Rei said might have clues relating to the mastermind_. "That's very annoying of you! Admirable but really annoying!"

"... Just shut up already....." I sighed heavily. ".... You better not move or do anything else that would put in an already tight spot.... I will go ahead and search for others-"

"Hey, _Sumi_....."

I froze, that's the first time he used that nickname instead of the ones he came up with. Slowly turning around, he put on a wide grin and said, "If you managed to reunite them all in five minutes! I will say something nice about you!"

"Which is...?" _What is this about now?_

"Reunite them first!!" He placed his finger in front of his mouth. "Then I will tell you!!"

".... _You're ridiculous_...." I went ahead. For some reason, I can't stop myself from smiling when I heard that. _'I have to hurry up and get the others. We're close... we're close to getting our answers now.....'_

* * *

**[ Higura's P.O.V ]**

_'They couldn't be that far from the theater house, can they...?'_ Even if I remembered the layout completely, there's no way to pinpoint Shoma and Hibiki's location. Hell, they might be even lost as well!!_ 'Damn it!! Maybe I should have made more of those things for everyone after all-!?'_

Just when I was about to scold myself internally for my stupid careless mistake, I run into them, "Hibiki- Hiroshi and furfuck!?"

"W-Why is my name the only one altered here!?" Monomyou cried out. "P-Please treat me nicely!! I'm under a whole lot of stress as well!!"

"Everyone here is!!" I shut them up. "Hibiki! Where's Shoma?!"

"I-I don't know...." Hibiki replied. "Once we got to the split pathway, Shoma went through the other way while he urges me to go the first one... that's when I met up with these two...."

"We strictly stick with one path and that's it!!" Hiroshi reported, as he tugged on the rope that he managed to tied around Monomyou with. _Somehow the abseiler is still intact and alive_. "Nothing funny happened while on our way here. Where's Taiga-"

"H-He was supposed to be looking for you....." I tried to catch my breath after running around without taking a break. "Let's hope he also bumped into that critter-head along the way as well! _And you better didn't change the layout of this place without us noticing as well, shithead!!_"

"T-There's a limit to what I can do here with the restraints!!!" Monomyou stated wildly as we began our second search of this place.

* * *

**[ Sumire's P.O.V ]**

_'The noise I heard just now.... was right around here somewhere.....' _With the gun in my hand as I hid behind the wall of the intersection, I braced myself as seemingly two pair of footsteps gets closer and closer, _'Two people... it could be Tai-chin and Hira-chin... we already told them our locations but just to be sure-'_

I immediately stepped out into view and raised both my hands up. "Stay right there!!" I shouted, but eased down once I saw who it was, and also by the shrieking voice of a familiar biologist, "Tai-chin! Shou-chin as well!?"

"Sumi!!" Both exclaimed in shock. Taiga was also about to take out his gun as well and Shoma rushed in to hug me tightly. "You're still alive!! This critter is in relief....!!"

"S-Sorry to make you guys worry....." I slowly patted his back. I've been making everyone worried for two days already, that guilty conscience from before is back. "Tai-chin, where's Hira-chin and others.....?"

"That's..." We both halted once we heard a noise that's getting closer and closer. With Shoma still has his arms around my neck, I held the gun with my left hand while Taiga's on a stand-by. But once we heard a voice spouting bunch of profanities out, we lowered them down, "Hira-chin!! We're here!!"

"There!!" Higura arrived much earlier than the rest, sweating profusely. "Fucking finally!! We found you guys!!" He approached Taiga and immediately grabbed them by the shoulders as he shakes him non-stop, "You have the map, how the hell did you ended up finding Shoma first!?"

"I-I don't know myself...." Taiga confessed, looking bewildered at the sight before him. "I was heading towards the warehouse area but somehow Shoma was there.... he said that he ended up lost after taking a split path.....?"

"Haaah.... I'm so fuckin' tired....." Higura slowly slide down to the ground underneath him. "I wanna rest so, so badly......"

"Sumi!!" Hibiki rushed ahead and hugged me as well. The weight of two people pilling onto me made me almost lose my footing, "Thank goodness, you're alive!!"

"H-Hey, she's gonna fall down if you two keep doing that!!" Hiroshi tried to pry off the two figures away from me. I chuckled once I saw he managed to do it with Shoma pouting at the abseiler.

_They were all worried about me. Worried that I might have been caught into Rei's trap. Wait a second, Rei_. "Everyone!! We need to meet up with Rei-chin as well!!"

"T-That guy!?" Hiroshi shouted. "B-But didn't that guy just tried to kill you!?"

"That's.... a complicated plan he has right now...." I actually don't know what is his plan right now. He wouldn't just revealed that off the bat or even make it easier for us to understand. "But... he found something while he was investigating this place after sealing the passageway off._ Another doorway-_"

"Eekk!! T-That's a restrictive place!!!" Monomyou tried to flail around in its restraint. "I-It is entirely prohibited for you to enter there!!"

"_So it is related to you_....." Why is Monomyou bound up with Hiroshi's rope in the first place? "We have to meet up with Rei-chin first... from there, we might have another matter to discuss first...." After all, _Rei's finally on our side_.

"Fine...." the graphic designer staggered a bit. "I swear to god if that fucker decided to pull a trick on us once we get there...."

Higura didn't even to manage to complete his insult once Taiga picked him up, bridal-style as we all moved forward to the end of the tunnel. Surprisingly, he didn't protest, or he just didn't have enough energy right now. Everyone's doing their best to keep up with my speed, they're all tired from the adrenaline rushing through their body from the explosion this evening,_ 'Rei-chin and I will have to make a full sincere apology... especially Rei-chin! Come to think of it, it hasn't been five minutes, right-'_

"There!!" I stopped once I saw the said metal door in the end and Rei just waiting there patiently for once, "Thank goodness, he's still here....."

He's still sitting on the floor, his head on his folded arms that's resting on top of his knees. _Is he sleeping?_ I guess even he has limits. "Rei-chin... everyone's here now... wake up, we gotta make it up to them for worrying them so much....."

Silence. I started to feel dread rising from the pit of my stomach, "Hey, Rei-chin. This isn't funny, don't go ignoring us right now... you caused a lot of trouble for the past two days so you have no excuse to sleep on us right now...."

I slowly touched his cheek as his head shifted to the side a little. I gasped at the ghastly sight as I slowly stepped backwards, "_S-Sao-chin_....?"

_The right side of his face, the skin tainted with sickly color of purple hue as blood drips down from his mouth. He looked calm. Like he was sleeping. But the moment my hand made contact with his face just now.... **it was cold**_.

"A-Ah...." I can't get my voice out. I can't accept the sight in front of me. I can't keep myself from standing up. I can't keep up my calm composure this time. I can't stop myself from crying. What? How? Why? _W**hy? Why? Why? WHY?**_

Everyone else arrived, each takes their turn looking at the scene before them with wide eyes and audible gasps. I don't know who's the one comforting me right now, I don't know who's the one that's inspecting the body closely. All I heard and saw was Hiroshi letting Monomyou escaped, as a more serious matter has happened yet again, for them to handle.

And so it happened once again;

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

** _"Ladies and Gentleman!! It seems like we have a new murder case!!! Please remain in your place as your magnificent host will provide the record file!!"_ **

_........_

_'Hey, Rei-chin.....'_

_'Guess, for once, I can definitely tell you right in your face that **you lied**. You lied about how you don't have anyone in your life who cares and would remember you after your death....'_

_'And guess what? In the end, **I care about you**. But, it doesn't mean much to a dead person, right now so for now, **I'm sorry**.....'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
I said this before but I both love and loathe writing Fake Mafuyu Hisao/Rei's character so much because his whole backstory and personality is heavily inspired from this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kRJ4vDi03g) which has been one of my fav. opening song!
> 
> And yes, this is my attempt to promote the anime that the song originated from (please watch My Roommate Is A Cat, it's a really cute anime and relatable for cat owners!!)


	31. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Deadly Life - Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation case has started to collect evidences.... that turned everyone's perspective on the past murders differently.

As the moment of silence has passed, Monomyou returned from their announcement with the record files with them, "Ahem!! Guess we proceed to our investigation as usual!! Um... only this time, _it's a special occasion!_"

"Which is....?" Higura asked, eyeing on them carefully. He has his hand resting on top of mine as a sign of comfort. 

"Well, do you know how your magnificent host know soooo well about how these murder cases goes and figure out who the correct culprit is? Well, only this time, this host has noooooo idea how did the whole thing go down!!" Monomyou confessed. "After all!! I was heavily beaten down and tortured by the victim of this case and I'm just as confused as everyone else!"

"So.... you didn't do this.....?" Shoma asked. "This critter finds that hard to believe......"

"Hey, hey!! Keep that judgement to yourself until the class trials, you bastards!!" Monomyou scolded. "Instead, rejoice!! With your beloved host on your side, you now receive knowledge of how things work around this place!! Would you really want to pass off that opportunity! After all, I'm _**Monomyou**_, the _**Ultimate Despair Host**!!_"

"Why the hell would you give yourself a titl- _H-Hey!?_"

I pushed Higura aside slightly as I proceed to ask them, "So you will help us on this case? Even with evidences that could potentially lead to your true identity?" After receiving a reassuring nod, I went on, "Good, then we shall start with Rei's body....."

"A-Alrighty!!" Monomyou cheered on. "I will be the Watson to your Sherlock, dear investigator!!"

Taiga look reluctant to leave the body alone with Monomyou but I convinced him that he can stay and keep an eye on them instead. I kneel down, the marksman have already laid out Rei's body onto the floor for further inspection, _'.... In the end... I actually feel bad for him..... for doubting him.... but I still don't know why.... I can't get rid of this sense of familiarity towards him-'_

"Sumi...? Are you okay?" I snapped out of my daze immediately. _I need to focus, focus on Rei's death_.... maybe we will get our answers and the mystery behind his existence will finally be solved. I decided to check the record file first;

"_**Time of death** is approximately **7 pm**_. _**Place of death** is the **underground passageway near the Seeker Room**_....." that detail made me read it twice. Seeker Room..? What's that....? However, I decided to move onto other details, I can ask the host later about it. "_**Cause of death** is_..... _**NG Code Poisoning**_.....? What the hell is that....?"

"Let this adorable host explained!!" Monomyou twirled around as they began their exposition. "I don't know about the details but this kind of method was used long ago during_** the Final Killing Game**_ of _**the Future Foundation Members!!**_"

_Future Foundation. The Final Killing Game_. The things we know about already when we first discovered the Tech Room. "Who's the mastermind of that killing game....? Who forced them to kill each other.....?"

"Nyahahaha!! You would be shocked!! The mastermind was none other than _**the founder of the Future Foundation themselves!!**_" Monomyou laughed. "But that's all in the past!! What happened in the past doesn't concern any one of us!! Although, I'm quite surprised to see this bracelet stuck on this sneaky pest!!"

"He has it since the beginning....." Taiga started. "Remember when we first met up at the auditorium....? When we first got here... I tested everyone's reflexes just for fun and when Rei tried to defend himself.... _**this bracelet was already on him at that time**_...."

And I found out about it from almost a week ago. To think he's carrying around something so dangerous while he's here. I decided to inspect the bracelet closely and the words displayed on it said, _'**The Ultimate Despair Must Not Be Killed**'_. _**The screen was partially shattered**_ and _**bits of the frame were noticeable blackened as if the circuits was fried from the inside**_ but the command on it was the one that caught my interest.

"Is this... some kind of reminder or......" Hibiki joined in. "The _Ultimate Despair_.... so he was right, _they were here in this killing game after all_....."

Yes, but what does it meant by_ 'not be killed?'_. "Hey, Monomyou.... what does it mean by this?"

"Well, well, well!! For that, I can't give you the answer just yet!!" This little shithead- "After all, I'm still the host for this killing game who wanted to be entertained as well!! So I will leave the mystery to you all-"

Without a warning, Monomyou fell backward with white-out eyes and stopped moving. Shoma yelped when the host almost landed near his feet. I stared blankly at the immobile mascot on the floor, "D-Did they malfunctioned...? What the hell...?"

"T-That was on me!! I think....?" I looked over to the other side of the body as Hiroshi seems to have another device in his hand. "I found this in Rei's pocket and accidentally pressed it on!!"

"... Try that again...."

"Okay..." the abseiler what he was told and suddenly the host sprung back to life immediately. "Whoa there!!"

"H-Huh!? W-What happened!?" the feline host looked around in panic. "D-Did this cute, adorable host fell into the culprit's trap!? O-Oh no, this dearest host don't want to be the culprit's next _nya_tim!! Ackh-! _I stuttered!!_"

"Calm down, furfuck... you went offline for only a moment...." Higura answered the host's many questions. "So it's sort of like a _**signal jammer device**_....? It made sense if it only affects this poor excuse of a robot here...."

_A signal jammer device_. Could this be the reason why the cameras at the bar wouldn't work and why Monomyou can't approach that place in the first place? How did he get a hold onto this device? And for what purpose?

"Huuuuh?! So that's how he sneaked behind this host!? "Monomyou angrily stomped their feet around. "Unbelievable!! Truly unbelievable!! I have been outwitted by this sneaky pest out of all people!! Grrr... as much as this host doesn't want to, I will find out the truth behind this useless attempt to bring me down!!!"

"_He wanted to bring down the mastermind that's controlling you_, it isn't that much of a mystery...." I sighed at his poor attempt for a heroic speech. **_The NG Code Poisoning_** and _**the Signal Jammer Device**_. Those are the only two things that we could find on him.

I looked at Rei's face again and winced at the sight of blood pouring down from his mouth and right closed eye. Taking out the handkerchief I kept in my pocket, I laid it neatly on his face, '_.... I will try to find the truth... Rei... on your behalf......_'

"Awww, how sugar-sickeningly sweet!!"

"_**Shut up, you good-for-nothing host**_...."

"Eek!!! I'm being shut down in an instant!!" Monomyou jumped. "W-Well, dearest guests!! This host has another announcement to make!! _All the doors in the hotel and other places are opened for investigation!!!_"

"The doors in the hotel...?" Shoma asked. "This critter wonders if this applies to _the deceased's hotel rooms_.....?"

"Why would you do that? There's no way there would be clues left in their rooms...." Hibiki tries to reasoned with them. "After all, no one can enter their rooms after the respective owners have died....."

"I had a feeling that we should really be thorough about this investigation!!!" Monomyou explained. "After all, this pest here managed to make a bomb _out of seemingly nothing!! There are no materials around this place that could possibly make that kind of weapon either!!!_"

_'Perhaps it isn't a bomb like we all assumed'_, I tried to make a more logical reason on why it lead to _that explosive incident happening_. It's something much smaller, while the impact may be big, there's no way I wouldn't missed something like a bomb that would go off _in front of the entrance out of all places_.

I tried to get up but winced once the sharp pain in my right shoulder started up again. "Fuck-" I cursed through my teeth. Everyone was about to leave the passageway but Hibiki seem to have noticed me in trouble.

"Sumi, are you alright....?" She sees how I'm clutching my shoulder right now. "W-What happened? Why is your injury acting up right now...?"

"When the explosion went off......" I explained. "I must have landed on my shoulder when I fell back onto the floor. And not long after that, Rei pressured me to follow him to the passageway for safety and held onto my shoulder with a firm grip.... I couldn't think straight at that time which is why I initially didn't follow him-_ Setsu-chin, why do you look at me weirdly like that?_"

"Sumi...." Hibiki asked with wide eyed. "What did Rei said when he asked you to follow him....?"

"When I reject his offer, he grabbed my shoulder then saying he didn't want to do this but-"

"_How did he know about your injury.....?_"

.......

_Fuck_. "Shit, how the fuck did I not noticed that....?" Only Hibiki should have known that. _From the secret motive case_. "B-But it's probably just a coincidence... he probably did it without realizing it..." Even if it's not,_ then how did Rei got that secret motive from anyone else but Hibiki?_

I was about to leave when I noticed_** a dented spot on the wall**_, near where Rei's body was initially found. Taking a closer look, I noticed there's some _**reflective shards**_ buried deep in it that I could have missed, _'Did... Rei smashed his bracelet against the wall....? But for what reason.....? We don't know much about how this code poisoning works but.... is he trying to stop the poison from spreading by smashing it into the wall....?'_

"Heeeeey!! Sumi!!!" Hiroshi came down to fetch us. "I think you should check this out yourself. I wanna be sure I was right when I first saw it...."

_That's completely ominous but then again, this whole case is the perfect definition of that_. We decided to leave the underground passageway via through the entrance to the bar area.

* * *

The bar wasn't completely burned down to the ground, the foundation, roofs and stilts were still standing. Of course, the charred wall of the building will remained as the aftermath results of the fire. Hibiki went ahead to investigate the theater more closely and leaving me with Hiroshi alone.

Hiroshi then took me to the front entrance of the bar and near the steps, "Look at this one here...." He pushed aside the ferns that surprisingly remained green. "Isn't this the _**power**_ **_generator from the old warehouse_**....?"

"That.... it is..." Having to visit that place more that once now, I recognized it very well. "Why is it near here...?"

"Maybe..... the bomb that Rei said..... it's probably for that....?" Hiroshi tries to offer his theory. "There are bombs that would only go off until the power source ran out, like a ticking time bomb actually. But I don't really know if _they can make that out of organic stuffs_...."

"Plausible..... that isn't too far-off actually...." I commented. "How do you know that...?"

"TV shows about weapons and man-made stuffs exploding!!"

"... _I see_...." I don't know what kind of answer I was looking for but definitely not that one. "But when it comes to this sort of stuffs.... maybe Tai-chin discover something else at his part....."

"He's investigating the theater house with Monomyou....." Hiroshi told me. "He wants to make sure about the place's layout and there's no other secret exits or anything...."

_'At least he's taking Monomyou's advice of being thorough...' _We left for the theater house. The once magnificent building was charred with black soot and smoke as we approached the theater house closer, I can see Taiga and Monomyou discussing something in front of the entrance, and_ the host looks like they're in trouble_.

"Ah, you two!" Taiga noticed us sooner. "Was just about to ask our host here some questions but after the 15th question, they seem to be breaking down a bit...."

"T-There is only a limited amount of answers I can give to you!!" Monomyou cried out. "This host's capabilities to keep up is going to fail the more you ask!!"

"_Not much loss there......_" I replied sharply. "What do you get out of them, Tai-chin?"

"Ah, hearing that nickname again made me sort of glad..." Taiga sheepishly grinned. "But nothing much. Just some basic stuffs. _There are no other exits to theater house besides the front entrance and the secret passageway_....."

"Why is that important to know...?" Hiroshi asked.

"Because of the traps I set up.... there's a huge difference between the traps' damage at the bar and at the theater house...." Taiga then proceed to show us the two metal canisters from different locations. "_The bar one is** noticeably dented with a few marks**_ but _the theater one was **entirely damaged like it was thrown into the ground or something**_....."

".... _Those two things are not normal conditions at all_......." The canisters should have _melted off_ at some point. "_Someone tampered both of them?_"

"I compared them to the old warehouse one earlier..." the marksman put them back into his pocket. "The warehouse one fits the description perfectly, they got melted off with pellets still remained in their casing. While the bar is _missing one pellet_, the theater house one_ has none of them left_....."

When Rei and I entered the passageway, the thread must have already burnt off at that point so I didn't noticed the traps was already being tampered with. I can imagine it was Rei's doing but I'm not sure about the theater house. Looking inside the building, I can see _**black ashen footprints from the entrance leading towards the stage**_. _'That must have been the other's footprints... but who went through here.....?'_

"Hey, Sumi... found another one....." Hiroshi pushed back the plants surrounding the place to reveal another power generator. "Taiga, have you seen this one at the warehouse as well....?"

Earning a nod from the marksman, that confirms all three places has explosives that were hooked up with those generators. The only thing is _how did Rei managed to make them work_. Most of the stuffs we found at the workhouse are all broken down and I can't imagine Rei is that much of a technician.

From afar, I can see Higura approaching from the distance, "Hey, Sumi.... if you would like to come along.... Shoma and I decided to bring Rei's body to the mortuary for a proper farewell....."

"I... um... why..?" I'm grateful that they would do that for him but this is rather sudden.

"Well, we're the ones that being the most ass to him this entire time so..... might as well repent for our wrongdoings by paying respects...." said Higura. "And I have a feeling _you have something else to say to him as well_....."

"..... Yeah, you're right. Just hold on a minute...." I turned to Taiga. "Where's Hibiki? I could have sworn she said she would investigate here...."

"She's investigating the backstage for more clues!!" Taiga exclaimed. I made sure Taiga and Hiroshi has everything under control at their side (including keeping Monomyou at bay, who's still being bombarded with questions by those two) before leaving them alone. Then, I departed with Higura to the mortuary at the hotel.

The walk was silence up until the moment we entered the elevator, "_Say, do you like Rei?_"

"W-What...?" That was incredibly blunt of him to say that!! "What makes you think of me like that...?"

"Hmm.... fucking hell, this sounds super lame and stalker-ish but I've seen you two acted rather.... _close_... like how Mitsuru and I acted?" he explained, with a faint blush on his cheeks. "Besides, the way you two acted towards each other is sort of.... _weird_, is what I will say without sounding fucking sappy...."

I wasn't expect this kind of conversation in this period of time, _from Higura of all people_. Hell, I don't have a proper answer to counter that. "....._ So what if I did...?_"

"Yup, that's an ambiguous answer then!" He puffed out his chest. "I'm gonna shut up about that and can finally throw away that question that's been bugging the hell out of me since the beginning!!"

"D-Don't ask such unnecessary things, seriously....." _Great now I'm thinking about it for real_.

The awkward silence continued until the elevator doors opened up and Shoma was already waiting in front. He was about greet us happily but noticed our expression were kind of off, "Oh my... did this critter has stumbled upon a quarrel on the reef....? That's no good, this critter will punish you two with hand-chopping method!"

"We're not fighting, ow-" Shoma hits both of our head with a karate chop. We could have dodged but we wouldn't hear the end of it from the biologist if we did. "We're just discussing something.... _rather stupid_...."

"Yup, something incredibly stupid now let's move our asses to the next room...." Higura immediately walked out of the elevator and into the mortuary room that located by the right side of the cellar as Shoma and I followed behind him.

* * *

Knowing Renma was the only one who has been taking care of the deceased all by himself, I expected the number of bodies to be fixed but seeing two other clothed bodies that I haven't seen before surprised me, "Those are....."

"Yup.... I checked....." Higura grimaced. "It's _Renma _and _Mitsuru_.... if anyone can't enter this place and even Monomyou themselves then....."

"..... _So he did it by himself_, huh....." I went over to one of the table that Rei was rested on. '..... _Thank you, Rei_....'

Shoma and Higura were investigating other bodies instead (maybe to make sure that the third case culprit and victims' bodies are there as well) while I went to investigating the cabinet that held all the chemicals that the mortician kept, '_Hm, almost half of the shelves' content were taken...... no doubt Rei took some of the **mortuary chemicals** with him_.....'

Right by the cabinet was a desk and on it, lies the book of death list that Mitsuru initially picked up when we first walked into this place. It's also the book where we knew about _**The Tragedy and the Ultimate Despair**_. There's another smaller notebook that rested on top of it. '_That's.... Homare's notebook... that she always kept with her.... Rei hold on to it when he presented his argument during the first trial.... why did he placed it here?_'

I decided to look it through, simple entries from when we first entered the place, Homare noted about our place, situations and the every locations that we've discovered during our first day here. Then, just as Rei said, after the seemingly normal entries, were _the methods of killing that Homare said to have written to leave this place_-

_Hold on._

_What the hell?_

"Shou-chin, Hira-chin.... can you guys come here for a second?" I keep flipping through the same five pages and I couldn't believe what I'm reading. "Try reading this.... do you remember what Rei said about these five pages when he showed it to us?"

"Huh...?" Higura took the notebook for himself. "Yeah, it's that swordfreak's book of murder or something like that from the first trial, right? Why- Wait, _what the fuck!?_"

Shoma looked over his shoulder as he frowned, "These methods.... that the sword-bearer have written..... are _**the same methods of killing that happened for the past few cases**_......"

"S-So I wasn't just hallucinating or anything...." _Death by automaton soldiers. Broken spine. Ingesting poison or chemicals. Asphyxiation twice_. They were all mentioned in _Homare's notebook_, all five pages. There's no way it's just a coincidence.

"W-Well.... we're missing electrocution by those barbed wires on the gates surrounding the place, that's a relief....." Higura was about to close the notebook when he noticed something. "..... _This isn't Homare's writing at all_....."

"What was that....?"

"Look here...." Higura compared the earlier and last entry. "It's a bit shaky but the cursive writing between these two entries is different, though it's barely noticeable.... and _Homare always signed her entry with her signature_ but _the latest ones doesn't have that signature_...."

It's not weird to find people putting their signature after making one entry. I found it common for people to do it in their personal diaries after all. But for someone like Homare, who is a bit of perfectionist and always do things properly, to miss any entries without a signature like that, _it's quite alarming_.

"What does this mean....?"

Maybe.... Monomyou opening the deceased bedrooms up might have been a good call, "Let's investigate Rei's bedroom and then everyone else's....."

"This critter will stay here to find more clues...." Shoma told us. "This critter will meet back with others at the class trial....!"

We leave the mortuary on Shoma's hands as we went to the second floor of the hotel room, where our rooms are situated at. As we ascended, many other questions popped into my head, mostly about the cases from before. Come think of it, almost all of them had Rei's involvement, one way or another. Just... _what on earth is he_....? Is he really the _Ultimate Conman_...? Or he's just someone really dangerous?

'_That bracelet he had_.....' I can't keep my mind off of that thing. '_I almost went into that possibility that he might be from the Future Foundation but.... that organization is all about capturing the Ultimate Despair, right? Why would they warned their member to not kill them-_'

The elevator doors opened and we immediately approached Rei's bedroom as the door opened with ease. He must have tidied up the place before he left, completely clean unlike last time. Instinctively, I checked his desk and opened up all the drawers until I found something, "This..._ this is the grand prize he and Mitsun won at the labyrinth_...."

I placed the three student profiles on the desk; the student profile of _**Hoshino Sumire **_the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_,_** Katou Nara **_the _**Ultimate Hacker**_ and _**Oshiro Eiichi **_the _**Ultimate Lucky Student**_.

"I've never heard of her before...." Higura pointed at Nara's profile. "Is.... she from our class....?"

I decided to read through the _Ultimate Hacker_'s profile, "Umm... she's apparently a hermit....? She's still a student of the Ultimate Academy but she always exclude herself from crowds and such..... it doesn't say that she's part of our class or anything....."

"If she's that home-schooled type then I would understand why we don't remember her or even see her name on the newspaper....." said Higura. "But we already remember this guy here.... the lucky student-"

He stopped. He suddenly stopped as his brows furrowed. "Hira-chin, what's wrong?"

"...... _Something's wrong_.... but I don't think it's relevant right now...." he immediately walked away. "I'm gonna check his bedside drawer and closet!!"

'_W-Why is he being cryptic all of the sudden?_' I tried to go back and search through the contents of the drawers. '_The mortuary chemicals are here and being used.... there's also some I've never seen before but it couldn't possibly from that place....._'

"What the fuck is this...." I can hear Higura cursed in a low voice from across the room. I went over to check what stunned him, only to find some miscellaneous stuffs. "What is it....?"

The designer picked up what looked like an _**empty colored plastic bottle**_ and some kind of _**toolkit**_, "These..... _these belongs to Mitsun and Saku_....."

"What!?" As I remembered the surrounding around the bar and theater house more clearly now, there are remains of _**plastic colored shards near the entrance**_. "Why did Rei have their belongings...?"

"I-I...." Higura looked really pale right now. "I-I'm gonna go and check their rooms immediately!!"

"W-Wait, Hira-chin!!" He already ran off. I can't blame him for acting on his own, all of this seems too.... _odd_. At the corner of the closet, there's a folded lab coat, the same lab coat he presented at during the first trial, '_Right from this coat alone.... we were able to deduced that Hinako was.... Homare's murderer_.....'

For no reason at all, I decided to unfold the lab coat, still with the bloodstains on some part of the clothing. I tried to check the room tag number stitched to the sleeve cuffs..... _only to find it being ripped off_.

"W-Why did he ripped it off?" It wasn't like this when he presented so why did he get rid of it completely..... _unless_. "No way.... _this wasn't from Hinako's room....?_"

Just like Higura, I bolted out of the room and went into the animal behaviorist's room. Having to never stepped into her room before, I was greeted with plenty amount of animal creatures and veterinary books scattered on her table. I swung open the closet door only to find a brown knitted sweater on a single clothing hanger instead, "W-What...."

If the lab coat was never Hinako's then _wouldn't that mean_..... "No, even though it belongs to Shoma..... we still concluded that she was the killer....."

_Where the hell did that fit in this entire puzzle?_

I slowly closed the closet doors, still reeling from the sudden burst of energy from just now, as I also cleaned up Hinako's table just to calm myself down. I stopped once I saw a paper on her table, "_**Sound frequency**_.....? _Certain mammals may be able to hear certain sounds that would irritate their ears_-"

"H-Hey, Sumi!!" I turned around to see Higura who recently came out of Saku's room. He decided to go across and deliver his side of the investigation, ".... Guess I was right...... those things did belonged to those two...."

"I-I see..... you're not alone on that one....." I confessed, earning a confused look from the other. "I-I found the lab coat from the first trial that we thought it was Hinako's.... but we were wrong.... it belonged to Shoma and-"

"W-Wait.... but we were right about Hinako being Homare's killer...."

"We did but....." It just raises a lot of questions as I looked back at the coat that I've brought with me. From the angle above, I can see a note being tucked into the lab coat's pocket deeply as I pulled it out to see. "It's... their names...?"

_Hanabusa Hinako. Ishimoto Nao. Sekiguchi Amane_. The names of the three people of the _Survival Group_, neatly written in someone else's handwriting that I don't recognized. My best guess would be Rei's. The lower part of the note was torn off, as if to conceal another name. "I-Is he specifically targeting these three....?"

_'Rei.... just what on earth are you planning here...?' _I decided to bring _**the note from the lab coat's pocket **_with me until we heard a familiar tune;

** _Ding Dong! Bing Bong!_ **

_"Ahem! Your investigation time is up!! Alright, little detectives!!! It's time to move forward to the exciting '**Class Trial'** event!! Please head your way to the northwest of the hotel immediately!!_

The TV turned into static as I sighed, ".... For once.... I'm not really ready for this class trial...." We got a lot of questions instead of answers behind Rei's intents. But I guess that's what the class trials are for.

"Shit, for once, I'm fucking scared about this entire thing...." said Higura. "There's something... definitely wrong....."

I was about to ask him about the weird thing he said just now only to find myself cut short when he immediately left, _'If it's really not that important then.... no, he will say something about it sooner or later.... we will have to wait and see....'_

* * *

Everyone else (excluding Monomyou) were already waiting at elevator to the trial ground. My heart almost stopped beating once I saw Shoma, thinking about the massive clue I found just now and I try to forget about it, "Did you guys find anything else at your side?"

"Besides the power generator being at the warehouse as well..... nothing much...." Hiroshi confessed. "That Rei did all of his dirty work rather cleanly...."

"My search unfortunately turned up empty-handed...." Hibiki claimed. "However, those footprints at the theater house does seem suspicious as _it wasn't there when Shoma and I went to use the passageway_...."

"What about you two?" Taiga asked. "Shoma said that you guys are taking a rather long time investigating the rooms at hotel...."

I stared at Higura worriedly as we both took turns explaining the stuffs we found, _I didn't try and hide the fact about finding potentially Shoma's lab coat as well_. Both of us can see how the others' expression morphed into total confusion by the first half of the exposition already.

"W-Why are the past cases turning up now...?" Hiroshi asked. "Was.... there more we haven't solved?"

"But we already punished the culprits of the cases....." Taiga mentioned. "Is it even worth it to bring it up again during this trial?"

"Hmmm... this critter thinks that person got rid of tag on purpose to confuse everyone...." Shoma thankfully gave his answer. "After all, if it did belonged to this critter, then this critter would have said it during the first trial, right? But when this critter checked back the closet that night, that article of clothing is still there, hang up....!"

_Thank goodness_. I breathed out a sigh of relief, but the feeling of uncertainty is still there. It's still a personal account so I can't be too sure that all of it is true. Hiroshi called for the elevator as it opened up and we entered immediately.

* * *

The elevator descended way faster than the last trails, with only six people remaining. _Half of the initial casts from before_. I honestly didn't expect for another death to occur, a death of the most important person with vital information. I couldn't figure out how that code poisoning thing even work, '_There's nothing about it in his room or anything... all we found are past evidences and just that....._'

The elevator doors opened up and we were greeted with Monomyou who, instead of sitting on their throne, stood right in front of their usual seat as if they're seated in their very own podium.

"For this special occasion!!" Monomyou announced. "This adorable host will join the class trial!! Wohooo!! This will be such an exciting class trial!! Having a host to go against their guests in such an exhilarating pace... who knows!! Maybe this host could potentially get punishment as well!!"

_Doubt it_, that could just be another bluff. If everyone voted wrong, that thing can change the rule whenever they like and leaving themselves out for the punishment. Everyone went to their podium as usual without paying any attention to the smirking host.

"You're looking awfully chipper for someone who doesn't do much during the investigation...." Higura sneered. "All you do was standing around and looking at everyone investigating while you don't do jackshit...."

"Nyahaha, my senses are sharp as my mammal's counterpart!!" Monomyou jest. "Even without doing anything, I have alllll the information I needed collected by wonderful tools!!"

"_Cameras _and _Mini-myous_..." I answered for them. "Even if that's true, that still doesn't mean you have the upper-hand this time...."

"Is that so?" Monomyou snickers. "_Then why do you think I opened up those hotel rooms' doors up, huh? Ms. Investigator?_"

I flinched, "Clearly there's something else you wanted us to see.... and possibly clarified in this trial...."

"So it is really important.....?" Shoma wondered. "Would it help us solved this victim's case more easily....?"

"Of course, it will!!" Monomyou let out their booming laugh. "Because the answers you will reached at the end will surely leave you in despair, 100%!! If you can even reach that answer anyways!! Now let me do my intro!! _We can now officially start the **Class Trial**!!! With your wits and strength on this exciting yet daring trial!! __It's time to refute with all your might!!_"

_'Is this really a case that we wouldn't be able to solve? Does the clues that Rei left for us to find would really help us? Or was it to mislead everyone? Just what was Rei's intentions from the beginning and what's his relation to the mastermind really? All of it, **we will definitely find the answer in this class trial!!**'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
Hey, so I recently watched The Watcher's Puppet History (god I miss those ghoul boys) and so here's the list of charas of who believe in ghosts, who's neutral and who doesn't ww
> 
> [ Believes in Spooks ] Renma ('shockingly'), Taiga (after meeting Renma), Hiroshi, Kiharu, Higura  
[ Neutral ] Sumire, Nao, Rei, Homare, Shoma, Hibiki  
[ Doesn't believe in Spooks ] Amane, Machi, Mitsuru, Saku, Hinako
> 
> "What about author?" I've been living in a haunted forest for a few years now so take a guess ww


	32. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Deadly Life - Trial I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A class trial that starts... by going backwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, sighing as I opened the past few chapters for reference: Aw shit, here we go again.  
I suggest people reading this trial to read back a few chapters as well because Rei is :D a little shithead for making everyone in this trial to recall back every little details.

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"Alrighty then!! Let this adorable host explain the rules!" Monomyou said with a posed look. "This trial will determine who is the killer of that annoying pest, _**Mr. Unknown** himself_, the _**Ultimate Conman**!!_ Or is he!? Nyahaha!! What a wonderful opportunity to be part of this ensemble for once!! Now!! Will this host be able to help their wonderful guests to solve this mystery? Or will they lead them to their doom!? I just can't wait!! Let us begin the trial!!"

They said that but there's no doubt Monomyou joined the trial just to threw us off as much as they can. Because of Rei's intentions and actions are heavily related to them and the mastermind, they can't risk us knowing too much about them. _'Because of that, I need to make sure we're staying on the right track here. We can't be lead astray by an outsider's interference!'_

"Due to the terrifying development and discovery through our investigation...." Hibiki started. "We have too much on our hands to talk about, isn't that right...?"

"_Rei's death_, _his true identity_ and _the past murder cases_..." Taiga listed. "It's better we focus on either of those three topics. It would be much better if we cleared his death first...."

"I'm with Taiga here!!" Hiroshi agreed. "If we clarified his death first then we can easily corner the culprit as soon as possible to get our answers about Rei's purposes!!"

"This culprit could be anyone of us but....." Hibiki argued. "As everyone recalled,_ not everyone here really understood Rei's intentions for the past two days_. We could barely keep up with his plan to explode the whole place and then what's his battle against Monomyou actually about...."

"And I ain't telling you guys about that either!!" Monomyou butted in.

"Not only that... this critter believes his death could be heavily link with past murders as well...." Shoma suggested. "What Hibiki and this critter seem to agree on is _to look back on past murder cases_....."

"That will take too long to cover!!" Hiroshi refuted. "S-Sure, it's odd that Rei somehow leaded most of the trials and gave us the answers we needed but _there's no definite connection_ _that linked his death with the others_, right?"

We're already split, huh? I'm surprised Monomyou didn't announced that system just yet. Of course, Higura and I have decided to focus on something else that could potentially bring us back to the very beginning. "We won't make any grounds if we're tackling those two thing without any proof...." Higura began talking. "I say we should focus on _who this bastard really is and whose side is he on actually_..."

"Sides...?" Taiga asked. "You mean he might be part of an organisation that we didn't know?"

"_Not necessarily_...." I commented. "Although, if we solved his true identity first, then we will have enough context to solve the other mysteries as well." Even in death, Rei still managed to make his case to be a long-term puzzle for us to solve. "And from there, _we would probably know the identity of the Ultimate Despair themselves as well_...."

"Ohohoho!! What a bold conclusion you came up with, Ms. Investigator!!" Monomyou gleamed, jumping around in excitement. "As much as that pest irritates me! I've been wanting solve a mystery case for a long time! Now then, is the first topic have been decided yet?"

"I can't get used to seeing you joining us in this, you're way too talkative right now...." Hiroshi looked away from the fuming host. "I-I guess Rei's identity can serve as our foundation for now.... right?"

Seeing everyone agreeing to it at least took some of the weight off my shoulders. "This critter don't mind..... the only problem is that....." Shoma pointed out. "The only clue to his identity... is _**the bracelet he's wearing**_..."

"It's the bracelet that Monomyou said was used during an event called the _Final Killing Game_, right?" Higura recalled back that important clue back then. "At least that confirms one thing!! _That Rei might be part of the Future Foundation!_"

"Future Foundation....?" Hiroshi doesn't look too convinced. "W-Why would they send one of their members to infiltrate this killing game...?"

"It's part of their goals from what this critter have read....." Shoma replied. "_It's the Future Foundation's goal to eliminate all Ultimate Despair_...."

_'There's no lie there but there's something else at the crime scene clearly contradicts that statement, even though it makes sense....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_Rei is part of the Future Foundation_, there's no mistake there!!" Higura proudly exclaimed.

"A Future Foundation member!?" Monomyou shrieked. "How on earth did they _**infiltrate through this place's tight security**!?_"

"But we've just knew about that organisation two days ago...." Taiga pointed out. "And we don't even know **_if the info we got on them is even legit_**.."

"Why would they send their member here....." Hibiki asked. ".. _as if they're collecting intel about us?_"

"Rei's purpose is_** to get rid of the Ultimate Despair**_....." Shoma replied back. "Just like the goal of the Future Foundation!!"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"That's not possible...." I abruptly interrupted. "Although I don't want to dismissed that possibility quickly like that, _**I don't think Rei is even allowed to kill the Ultimate Despair**_....."

"Not allowed....?" Shoma cocks his head to the side. "What does Sumi-critter mean by that?"

"There's_** a specific command**_ on his bracelet that contradicts what you've said just now, Shou-chin..." I brought up the content of the bracelet. "The command clearly warns him _**to not kill the Ultimate Despair**_. Even though his loudmouth personality matches that Future Foundation's goal, _his true intention, however, didn't_...."

"So you mean those claims he's been going on about killing the _**Ultimate Despair**_ was just a bluff?" Higura tries to repeat that sentence twice. "Then it wouldn't be possible that he's part of the organisation then.... it wouldn't make sense that they would allow those people to go off free..."

"We can't really dismiss it like that. There's might be another reason why they don't want them killed...." I tried to reasoned with them. "_It's the command that's the most glaring point_...."

"Nyahahaha!! Yup, the_** forbidden action **_will sure amazed everyone- Ackh!! I let it slipped!!"

**_"Forbidden_ _action_**....?" That slip of tongue confirms it then. "_**So he really can't kill the Ultimate Despair**_....."

"A-Anyways, let's get to the next theory after that shameful shutdown!!" Monomyou tries to receiver from their mistake. "How about this interesting tidbit! _Maybe **he's the Ultimate Despair**!!_ Nyahaha!!"

"Wha- Is that even possible??" Taiga's clearly not buying it. "Wouldn't that mean he doomed himself ever since the bomb scare incident...?"

"Well! The _**Ultimate Despair **_is consider to be an organisation and their true purpose is_ to spread despair!!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "Maybe his plan to set off those explosion is _his attempt to make you all suffered despair!!_"

_'That sounds too far-fetched. I should listen carefully and not accidentally counterpoint the wrong thing....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Cut that shit out!! You ain't fooling anyone with that lame ass theory!!" Higura yelled out.

"At least hear this host out first!!" Monomyou exclaimed. "I'm telling nya'll!! _**That person could potentially be the Ultiamte Despair!!**_"

"Rei said so himself....." Taiga pointed out. "That _he set up those bombs to scare the Ultimate Despair out of its hiding!!_"

"Not only that. If he really is the Ultimate Despair...." Hibiki brought up another point. "Then how could you explained_the feud between the two of you?_"

"Nyahahaha!!_** It could still be an act**!!_" Monomyou laughed. "After all, that pest still has some connection with your dearest host here!!"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"_That feud wasn't an act_...." I interjected. "It's been ongoing ever since we got here. Ever since_** you can't enter that bar whenever Rei's there**_, isn't that right, Monomyou?"

"Gasp!!" Monomyou emoted.

"W-Why are you surprised about that?" Taiga continued. "W-Well then!! This is about the _**signal jammer device**_, right? It wouldn't make sense for the feud to be an act if Rei has that to hide something from the mastermind!! Which means the rivalry between those two is totally real!!"

"Not only that...." Higura added his point. "There's that _**fake player motive**_ that contradicts everything here. _If Rei is that confirmed fake player, _then there's no chances that he could be part of the _**Future Foundation**_ or even the_** Ultimate Despair**_....."

"Oh? You sound so sure, Mr. Designer!!" Monomyou snickers. "But you're right, after all!! Maybe that pest isn't one of those two!!"

"Feline critter has given up way too easily...." Shoma muttered. "_How annoyingly useless_....."

"T-This host is trying their best, nya' know!!!"

"This isn't really going anywhere...." Hiroshi called out the issue of the discussion. "Unless we got some clues from before, then there's no way we can conclude who he really is..."

_From before? _Like using the past motives and rewards in this case? The only thing I could think of is that _**secret motive case**_ but it would just lead us to another dead end if that person who have Rei's motive is already dead. _'So even this topic only brings us to a dead end.... then we better cover the other topic first-' _"Then we should leave this aside and discuss something else.... _Rei's plan behind the bombs and how they were made_...."

_It feels like it's better we start from there._

"The bombs.. huh...." Taiga wondered. "All the stuffs that's been provided to us has been very mundane so far him to find anywhere close to a bomb in this place is really shocking...."

"Maybe Monomyou provided him with one? Since we know they're working together initially..." Hibiki brought up her point. "And then Rei used it for a really different purpose, _which is to scare us away_....."

"Nonsense!! I would never provide such a cowardly weapon!!" Monomyou yelled. "I only agreed on quick and painless methods!! That's how this host wanna go with!!"

"That better not be a lie, you shithead...." Higura hissed.

_'Could those bombs be provided by Monomyou themselves? No, that's quite a risky exchange. I'm sure there's some other way that person got a hold onto them!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"This host _**has provided no explosive weapons or whatsoever**!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "A quick and painless death is my go-to!!"

"What makes you think we would believed that?" Higura asked. "You could have hid those around the place as_ you lie about it_..."

"Would Rei even want to use the things he's given by Monomyou?" Hiroshi pointed out. "I mean, _**he's really against on using anything the host provided**_..."

"If not, then perhaps_ he was able to concoct the explosives by himself_...." Taiga remarked. "By using any available materials here......"

"Just like you with your pellets?" said Hibiki. "We don't really know _if he has that kind of skill or not_...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"There's no doubt Rei made those explosives all by himself, like what Taiga suggested...." At least, we have that proof. "From what Hiroshi found, there's a _**power generator**_ near every location where the bomb was set off..."

"He got those things from the old warehouse, no doubt about it!!" Hiroshi explained. "The only problem is that how was he able to get them to work...."

"There's that as well... as long as we have that then we can-"

( _**ARGUED: Monomyou**_ \- _"It seems you have mistaken!!"_ \- )

* * *

"It is time for this adorable host's first rebuttal!!!" Monomyou proudly announced. "A rebuttal against your explosive making theory, that is!"

"_You!?_\- What is it this time?" I asked, clearly annoyed judging by my tone of aggression.

"Whoa, ease down, Ms. Investigator!!!" Monomyou snickers. "After all!! This is a fair trial!! Everyone must have a hand to offer in this trial!!"

"Alright then, if you really have an argument in this, _then let's hear it out_..."

"Soooo about _the power generator_ thingy being used in this bomb-making plan?" Monomyou brought up their argument. "That's preposterous, I tell you!! After all, those generators were designed to use as a substitute energy source! There's no way you can make a bomb from that!!"

"We didn't say _that thing is the bomb_..." I argued. "_The power generators that we found were merely acting as a trigger for the bomb to explode_..."

"Hmmm! That's quite a good theory but it doesn't end there now, did it!?" Monomyou continued. "After all, if it's just a starting point then there's nothing else could act as a bomb! Now dear guest, I shall ask of you, _**is there even any remains left after that fiery demise**!?_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"For someone who's really into investigation, it's clear to see you weren't being observant at all...." I said that but the proof I'm about to bring up didn't really occurred to me until the very last minute at the hotel. "Near the front entrance where the _**power generators**_ are, there are **_colourful plastic shards_** scattered around and some of it even show some burnt edges...."

"Ah, so it wasn't just a coincidence then...." replied Hibiki. "I really thought that it came from the building themselves or something...."

"This critter can imagine that person used _some sort of plastic casing to hold such explosives_... or something else...." said Shoma. "Then it might not be a spherical bomb but _a man-made substance that could explode through exposure of heat or electricity_...."

"Wowie, what a terrifying creation!!!" Monomyou shouted. "I wouldn't expect the Ultimate Conman to possessed such skill to create such a weapon!! Eh, erm, this host admits defeat as a first-timer rebut-er!!"

"You.... _did your best_, I guess..." I coughed it out. "Hmm.... I wouldn't want to think Rei-chin is the one who came up with explosion. We don't really know if he has that skill like what Hibiki said _but_....."

"There's someone else who can provide him that skill...." Higura continued. _"The same person who's behind those **plastic shards** found at the site_...."

_'Higura knew it from the beginning as well. The person who we both know has the skill to make this kind of explosives is....'_

......................

................

"**_Asami Mitsuru_**........ or what she would usually call herself at this moment, _'The Wild Chemist Beautician'_....."

"M-Mitsun?!?" Hibiki and Taiga exclaimed in shock.

"Huuuh!? That airhead!?" The host is in total disbelief as well. "I can't believe it!!"

"_Wild..... chemist beautician_....?" Shoma seems to be focusing on the nickname however. "I see... that critter has an awfully long range of knowledge of such subject...."

"While I'm not sure if Mitsuru has her own set of materials to experiment with, I'm sure that she used some of the _**mortuary chemicals **_that were missing from the shelves of the mortuary..." I pointed out.

"Those plastic shards that Sumi mentioned fits the description of _those **empty coloured plastic bottles** I usually see in Mitsun's room as well_...." Higura explained. "But that could only mean....."

"_**That Rei has been planning for this from way, way back**_....." No, it's even further than that. Because we have two more evidences that Higura and I found that's clearly linked to this case. "If I have to guess when... it was probably during the labyrinth puzzle..._ that Rei must have convinced Mitsun to make those for him_...."

"It does sort of fit...." Hiroshi was hesitant. "But if I recalled, those power generators weren't really working since everything in the old warehouse are considered to be junk and just piles of metal scraps...."

"Everyone, you must remember that this is Rei we're talking about.... or more importantly, _the Mafuyu Hisao, the Ultimate Conman that we knew from before_....." I reminded them. "He won't leave any loose threads behind, _this is a mystery he purposely left behind and wanted us to solve from beyond the grave_...."

"He.... has been such a great help during past class trials....." Hibiki admitted. "It's clear to see that as we weren't going anywhere when solving his identity alone...."

"Yup, yup!! That pest and Ms. Investigator has been the greatest detective duo I've ever seen!!" Monomyou laughed. "Thanks to those two around, I never get bored easily during the class trials!! Although the mysterious identity of that pest has been keeping me up all night!!"

"We will get back to that topic along the line.... what's important was that _he left a lot of clues in his hotel room that was opened up_... thanks to Monomyou...." I can see the host being all giddy as hell right now. "And in that room, we found the aforementioned plastic bottles from Mitsun... and possibly _**the toolkit **_that he used to fix those generators...."

"A... _**toolkit**_?" Taiga seems to be confused by that. "Where on earth does he get that? I've been scavenging the entire place for some interesting material for my pellet making and couldn't find a single one like that..."

_'Similar to those plastic bottles, only one person who has familiarity with machinery and the same person who Higura knew very well, that is....'_

......................

................

"_**Oozora Saku**_........ Higura mentioned before that he has a thing for fixing broken down machines and that he can confirmed the toolkit actually belonged to him....."

"I-If he has the toolkit...." Taiga stammered a bit there. "Well, it makes sense how he could take off those bolted-mounted guns off from their stand at the shooting range. That kind of statement has been bugging me since that trial ended...."

"_Sakkun_...." That's a nickname I've never heard Higura called him. "... I have a feeling something's off with that second class trial ever since he approached me about the murder plan...."

_What? _"Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"_Sakkun was fine when he found out I have his secret motive before_...." Higura confessed, earning a gasp from everyone else. "I've confronted him about his motive before and he said there's nothing to worry about... _**then nighttime later**_... he suddenly changed up his story, _saying that **he doesn't want to get caught**_...."

"_Nighttime later_...." That time.... definitely matches up with what Rei said during the second class trial. "Wasn't before nighttime that.... _**Rei accidentally saw Saku taking those alcohol bottles from the bar?**_"

"Y-You thought so too, right?" Higura look worried. "I-I didn't get to say anything because of Saku's sudden outburst... I was almost scare at how aggressive he was during the trial...."

"T-Then.... _Kiharu's death... or even the murder plan that you two came up with back then... wasn't really planned?_" Taiga managed to get his word out. "That _**Rei is the one who pursued him about that idea?**_"

"That.... doesn't make any sense....." Shoma frowned. "This critter doesn't see how Saku's attempt to escape from this place could be _fake_..."

_'There's not really enough proof that Saku's wish to escape could be false but I'm sure his plan was somehow taken from somewhere else!!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_**Sakkun didn't really planned to murder anyone that night**_...." Higura started. "He wasn't even bother by his secret motive before...."

"But that critter still did it....." Shoma argued. "Meaning _that critter at least wanted to escape from this place_...."

"His anger does seem genuine at that time as well...." Hibiki mentioned. "So unless _it was pre-planned murder_, there's no way to really back that up, right?

"Didn't you and Saku admit that his plan _**got backfired because Kiharu saw you two**_?" Taiga asked. "And that you were going to pinned that blame on me and Shoma instead?"

"There's no other way to see that, it's clearly a plan made out of malice...." said Hiroshi.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No...there's another way to look at that murder from a different angle..... _by referring to the first class trial as well_...." We're going backwards, _way backwards_. Just how long did Rei planned all this, how long has he been pulling all the strings?

"T-The first trial has something to do with the second one as well!?" Hiroshi asked. "B-But which one? Both trials were sort of isolated cases, weren't they?"

"They were.... unless you counted this in...." I pulled out an item from my pocket. "_**Homare's notebook**_.... every remembered the content of this notebook, right?"

"_**The notebook that Rei used to tell us that Homare was planning to murder someone else**_....." Hibiki's eyes widened. "Doesn't that mean..."

"Yeah, just what we were all afraid of...." I clicked my tongue. "_**Those murderous entries weren't written by her**_. They didn't contained Homare's usual signature when she ended her own entries _so it was most likely have been forged_...."

"_Forgery_... that sounded familiar.... like this critter heard it before during _one of the class trial_....." Shoma mentioned.

_'**Forgery**, that was one of the minor detail in one of the class trial before. Now, it's a big one. And the only person who has that as their talent was....'_

......................

................

"**_Ishimoto Nao_**........ the _**Ultimate Ghostwriter**_ who can _imitate other people's writing style_......"

"N-Nyargh...!" Monomyou seems to be struggling a bit here. "Geez, what kind of complex plan did that pest have been making!? _To think he would collaborate with the past few murderers of each case!!_"

"N-Nao too....?" Hibiki was taken aback. "B-But if she wrote that..... then that would mean _**this whole thing was set up way before the first murder occurred!**_"

"Which mean..... _**Rei's plan was already set in motion right after the first motive was revealed**_...." Or was it when the _Survival Group_ was formed? I'm still not sure about that but if Rei used the group has an excuse to further his plan then..... _it would make sense_. "And what Monomyou said before was also correct...."

"Oho! I did contribute something useful!!" Monomyou sounded proudly.

"That's right...." _For once in this trial_. "Even the first murderer, _Hanabusa Hinako_, contributed something to Rei's plan-"

( _**ARGUED: Amahiko Shoma**_ \- _"This critter will drown you in the abyss!!"_ \- )

* * *

"No, the animal whisperer couldn't be involved in that critter's plan at all..." Shoma argued. "Everything else already fits in perfectly into his plan..."

"_There are other things that Hinako could potentially be involved_, Shou-chin...." I tried to defend myself. "But if you have any other objection then I will hear you out... _but there's no doubt that Hinako is in this plan as well!_"

"_That Rei-critter has no other connection to the animal whisper and the sword bearer case!!_" Shoma explained. "This is another isolated feud between two critter with different ideals towards the first motive!!"

"Shou-chin, unless you forgot, one of the reason that lead Homare to her demise...." I answered, ".... was that _she was about to discuss the next step of the slumber party plan that she and Rei came up with!!_"

"But that critter turned her down, didn't he...?" Shoma fights back. "That's when the true culprit, _Hanabusa Hinako_, got to her when she was alone! The animal whisperer's case is an isolated one, _**that Rei-critter couldn't possibly benefit anything else from that!!**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!"_ -)**

* * *

"Shou-chin, it's not the murder case that Rei was so fixated on to make his plan work...." I explained. "Rather _**it's the ultimate talents of the people he approached and work with**_...."

"Ultimate talent....." Shoma repeated those words. "... _That critter needed help from animal whisperer to spite Monomyou?_"

"That's right....." I'm glad he caught onto that sentence. "Monomyou, if I recalled what you said earlier before you started the trial that _your senses are higher compared to your mammal counterpart? _Doesn't that mean you at least can listened to some _**sound frequency**_ that normal humans can't?"

"Nyargh, it seems that's the one flaw this adorable host can't get rid off!!" Monomyou sobbed. "This cute design of a host has come with such an annoying flaw that I couldn't help but live through it!!"

"That settles it... when I visited Hinako's room.... there was a bunch of stack papers regarding_** sound frequency**_ that only certain animals can hear...." I brought up that moment in the animal behaviorist's room. "_If Rei's the one who asked her for that_...."

"Then_** that would lead to creating**_ _**the signal jammer device**_....." Taiga completed the plan. "S-Shit, he really went that far for this....?"

"Just how many people did that bastard managed to fool..." Higura gritted his teeth. "_The fact that he was indirectly involved in all of these killings_...."

"H-Hey... if he's that resourceful and cunning...." Hiroshi asked, "_Wouldn't it be far-off to say that he's behind this whole luxury hotel being destroyed and us being here?_ Since he's working with the mastermind and pulling the strings behind all of this....."

"Roshi-chin, that might be a possibility-" my eyes widened once I remembered something important._ Something that I shouldn't have dismissed it like that_. "Everyone.... when we saw that memory...._ was everyone really there?_"

"Every critter..... don't know..... the memory we were shown was really brief...." Shoma confessed. "This critter could hardly see everyone's faces in that memory........"

_'This is important. I need to confirm something!! The only person who would remembered things at first glance should be....'_

......................

................

"**_Mochizuki Higura_**........ you remembered that memory about our graduation clearly, right?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?" Higura looked confused.

"Everyone's was there, right..?_ Except for Rei_, of course....."

"Hmmm, pretty much everyone..." the designer's expression changed once he realized where I'm taking this conversation to. But of course, _he must have know about it as well when we investigating Rei's room_. "That swordfreak mentioned that teacher's name which is weird...."

"Everyone saw that memory and what happened but....." I decided to deliver the final blow. "_**How on earth did Rei know about that moment if he wasn't there?**_"

_Everything went dead silent._

It was that moment, that crucial moment where Rei accidentally slipped up and we didn't realised it.

Because at that moment, we still knew him as _**Mafuyu Hisao, **the** Ultimate Conman**_. But now, he wasn't _Mafuyu Hisao_, he was an intruder working with the mastermind.

"_That_....." Taiga was the first one to break the silence. "That... fuck, I didn't realized it at that time. He said something about the _**Ultimate Despair **_relating to that incident as well..."

"He clearly saw and heard what Homare said in that memory...." Hibiki tried to recall that moment again. "He even mentioned it to us afterwards...."

"What the actual fuck!?" Hiroshi cursed. "J-Just... who the fuck is he?! How can he remembered something that's could only happened to our class!?"

"_**Because he was part of our class**_....." That was the crucial hint to his identity. "_**He was there and we didn't knew**_. Or, we just don't remember him well. _**Because our school memories got taken away, there's no way we would recognized him as that person**_..."

"Sumi.... _who was Rei_....?" Shoma asked.

"He's..... a pain in the ass, that's for sure...." Higura sighed. "But... _I can't believe I didn't put those two things together_....."

_'Who was Mafuyu Hisao, the Ultimate Conman? Who was Rei, the fake player of this killing game? We knew him as that person way before this killing game started.....'_

......................

................

"_**Mafuyu Hisao** the_**_ Ultimate Conman_ **or_** Rei **the **fake player**_....... _he was **Oshiro Eiichi**_, _the **Ultimate Lucky Student**_....."

_That's the only solution I can came up with_. The reason why Eiichi wasn't here with us, the reason why Rei remembered that memory so vividly was that _**they're the same person**_.

"Nyahahaha!! Guess everyone has figured it out!!" Monomyou laughed out loud. "That's right!! The very person you spited and scorned at was your very own classmate!! **_Oshiro Eiichi _**the _**Ultimate Lucky Student**_!!!"

"N-No way... that meekly person who we saw and witnessed in that graduation memory..... _**was Rei himself**_....?" Hiroshi almost stumbled backwards. "The person we all treated kindly before...."

The person that Hibiki told me... _was my close friend. A close friend_. Was that why I treated him with such familiarity at first? Was it... really that instinctual? But... _**why does it feel like we're not getting anywhere closer with this?**_

"But why then...." Taiga asked. "Why did he went so far as to make up a fake name and talent for himself, continuously screwing us over until it was revealed that he was working for Monomyou, the mastermind themselves? That doesn't make any sense!"

"He's just an ultimate student as well, _a very normal one at that_...." Higura followed along. "_Just some student who possessed some kind of luck at his side_....."

"_**No, that's wrong**_....."

Everyone, including Monomyou, stared right at me when I raised my voice. _Just a student who has luck as his talent?_ Ha, there's no way it will be simple like that. After all, _this is** his** puzzle that he set up for us to solve_. "_Ei-chan_....." A nickname that I used for him back then. "Ei-chan is more than a lucky student... he's a student who was transferred from _Hope's Peak Academy_ along with one other student and me. The three students who were tasked with the missing students case. _To give that dangerous case to a student who's just lucky wouldn't be a wise choice for the two prestigious academies so_...."

I held my head high as I continued on, "His name might be that... _**but his ultimate talent has to be fake**_....."

"Another fake...." Shoma sounded really tired. "This critter.... don't understand.... this mystery is too hazy and shrouded in darkness......"

"That's an odd choice for sure...." Taiga pointed out. "To have a lucky student attached with an investigator and a hacker to look into the case is quite odd. So at best, _**both ultimate academies' must have lied about his talent in the student profile**_..."

When Rei and I first found that student profile file at the library's archive, those two pages about _Mafuyu Hisao_ and _Oshiro Eiichi_ must have been recently been placed in there. "They didn't lie.. they must have kept Eiichi's profile initially.... _**Rei must have swapped it out with a fake profile and added his just to confused us all**_...."

Or was he trying to force us to look deeper into him? Trying to find out what's going on with him first? In the end, the theory, that I came up initially but scrapped during the second trial, came true. _Fake Ultimate, fake personality, fake identity. The fake player themselves,** Rei**._

"If that's the case then, we wouldn't know anything related to his true ultimate talent then. It would be near impossi-"

"Oh? Actually, **_there is a way_**, indeed!!" Monomyou cuts off Hibiki's speech. "I already did provide an essential hint about it as well!! _To one of you guys!!_"

_They did!?_ Monomyou gave a hint about Rei's true identity to one of the people here? Out of all fifteen people here, who could possibly received that hint? I thought about the time the host allowed us to ask them a question but they purposely dodged our questions that time.

However, I thought about what Monomyou said to me when I asked about Eiichi back then; _'He has no significance because he's just a nobody!'_

_Was that one of the hints?_

If not, then the only time Monomyou would possibly give us that hint was during one of the motives._ Most specifically; __"__Everyone...." _I hope my suspicion is correct on this one.** _"Who received Rei's secret motive during the second trial?_**_"_

_**[ Class Trial - INTERMISSION- ]**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
To be honest, I actually forgot to make one asshole character (Rei doesn't count, he's just a complicated asshole) and when I get to the end of this story, I was like "Shit, forgot that archetype. Oh well, better luck next time....."
> 
> Also, I know that reveal was anticipated by some of the readers but guess what; that's just the first reveal and it only gets worst from now on :D


	33. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Deadly Life - Trial II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial resumes as the case shed some light behind the odd details of Rei's death and identity.

**[ _Class Trial - RESUMED -_ ]**

_**"....Who received Rei's secret motive during the second trial?**" **  
**_

If what Monomyou said was the truth, if they really did gave us that crucial hint we needed right now to solve Rei's true identity, _then the secret motives case has to be that main factor here_. The secret motives that..... _Rei himself said we're forbidden to share them_.

"We can't......" said Higura. "We can't count for the deceased who refused to share them but _as for my side back then_....."

"_**Higura has Saku's motive**_, that's confirmed...." Hiroshi started. "_**I have Kiharu's**_, _**Nao has mine**_, _**Kiharu has Taiga's**_, _**Saku has Renma's**_ and _**Hibiki has Sumi's**_ _**motives**_, is that all?"

"_**This critter has the writer's motive**_....!" Shoma confessed. "This critter has been aware of the little ghost ever since the doll spoke of its true nature!!"

I remembered that moment, Shoma was the only one, besides Rei, not affected by Nao's sudden change of personality. So he received Nao's motive and knew about it beforehand, which is why he was able to converse with her without being too bothered by it. "I didn't received anyone's motive..." I continued. "I solved the puzzles but the plush said my target doesn't have any secrets to hide or anything. My best guess was that _I'm supposed to have **Machi's**_..."

"Huh!? How do you figure that out!?" Monomyou was shocked. "I thought I hid their identity perfectly!!"

"You... _you actually revealed it yourself_...." Did this host intentionally let that out or was it really due to their incompetence, I can't really tell anymore. "Tai-chin, how about you?"

"I got Amane's after we wrapped up that trial and his was rather....._interesting_...." he looks disgusted, what kind of secret did that composer even kept to warrant that reaction? "But it doesn't look like we're going anywhere with this.... with everyone confirming their motives, we can't confirmed anything for the deceased...."

"I can say this in Mitsuru's place..." Higura added. "_**She has my motive**_. She told me about it right after trial so she's also on the clear....."

"Amane, Renma and Machi....." We can actually try and match their motives up based on their actions for the past few trials. "Only these three could have Rei's motive... _but I can leave out Amane for this_...."

"H-Huh...? Why is that?" Hibiki asked, confused.

"Well, it's my personal opinion but right after the second class trial, _Amane didn't really bother you at all_..." I explained, hoping it's a more better theory for others to hear. "Like he used to be all over you at first but now he kept his distance. I mean, _he's still ogle over you_ but just at bare minimum. So... I thought it would make sense that _**he might have your motive**_....."

"That sounds about right...." Hibiki admitted. "He has been restraining himself from blind admiration towards me. And the fact he defended me and my secret motive makes a lot more sense. _Amane_....."

_'I'm still making a blind speculation here but... Amane would never betrayed Hibiki like that, they're still close, one way or another.....' _It's a more nicer side of the secret motive case that we wanted to hear. "Then.... _Machi _and _Renma_....."

"Those two left....." Hiroshi muttered. "Hold on, what about Rei? Whose secret motive did he received..?"

"Well from what Tai-chin told me, when he solved the plush mysteries, Rei said he got someone he really hated. _Which doesn't mean a lot since he hates every single of us_....." Now knowing his position, that sentences hits us a lot more differently than before. "I know he hates Renma but his motive is already taken so the only person I can think of is _**Shou-chin**_....."

"This critter tried to drown that thing when we first got here, this critter understands his hatred..."

"Oho! I saw that event happened!! I had a wild laugh at that!!" Monomyou, somehow, backed that up. "I've never seen that pest being so furious at a person trying to get them to swim!! I consider recording that moment as some blackmail-worthy material!!"

"_**Why did you two do that**_..." That was both a genuine question and a worrying statement. "But this is just speculation, it can still change later if we figured out other minor details that we didn't think of it earlier...."

"But if it comes down to just those _two people_...." Taiga pointed out. "Then wouldn't it be clear who has Rei's motive?"

_'Taiga's right, there's only one person who we can assumed has that motive. The same person who shows the same amount of contempt towards Rei was....'_

......................

................

"**Oki Renma, the Ultimate Medium or Mortician**. With this, we can use this**_ completed motives list_** to refer back to later...."

"Renma and Rei has been cooperating since the second class trial as well...." Higura seems to figured it out easily. "That medium must have found out about his talent so Rei have to cooperate with him as another way to keep him quiet. I guess it's more evident that_ Renma was the one who asked Rei to check out the labyrinth through some spiritual shit_....."

"The same labyrinth that Rei and Mitsuru tried out...." something clicked inside Hiroshi's mind as he jumped a bit. "Wait, what about the grand prize they've won? What was it?"

"It's what Monomyou told me when Higura and I solved it for the second time..." I explained. "They were _**the profiles about the three students who has a hand in the missing student case**_; a girl name _Katou Nara_ the _Ultimate Hacker_, _Eiichi _and _I_...." '_It's weird that we still call him Rei even though we already know his real name already_....'

"Why did that critter kept those for himself....?"

_'The reason why Rei would even hide those profiles away from others was......'_

......................

................

"It's _**to conceal his true identity**_. We would have cornered him if we found out he wasn't the _**Ultimate Conman **if someone else won that labyrinth puzzle**...**_......"

Immediately, that sentence somehow feels off to me, _'Then... why did he give up that other reward that revealed the other four participants? Did he... really want to get caught?'_

"Indeed!! That labyrinth's planning was designed _to only be understood by the three ultimate students who transferred to Yumeino Ultimate Academy!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "Of course it's more favorable for someone like Ms. Investigator _whose memories were taken away from her!!_ Someone like that pest who solved it first just wasted his time _**for solving the truth that he already knew!!**_"

"What?" What the hell does that mean? "What do you mean_ for something he already knew?_"

"Achk! I stuttered!!" No way in hell that's a mistake from the host themself. That's clearly something important to this trial as well.

"Hey, furfuck. Now that you've said the purpose of the labyrinth was supposed to be that right now..." Higura glared at the feline host. "Wouldn't it make sense that _**you're the one who clamped the poison bracelet on Rei back then?**_"

"_If Rei already knew who he was since the beginning_....." He's the only person who still has his memories? "Did you.... _**did you put that bracelet on him so that he wouldn't be able to tell us the truth behind our imprisonment here?**_"

"This host would never do such thing!!!" Monomyou tries to defend themselves. "A-After all, there's a command for the bracelet that would only release the poison if that command was violated!!"

"Bullshit!! We know you wouldn't give a shit if it's violated or not!! Not when you have total control of everything else in this place!!" Higura refuted. "_There's no way you didn't trigger that code poisoning if you're the one who put it on him!!_"

_'I-Is that it....? It's.... still something plausible but something about it sounds wrong. I need to hear what's their thoughts on it first then I can confirmed it myself!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_This host didn't trigger the code poisoning!!_" Monomyou defended. "The poison will** only released if the command was violated!!**"

"No way, _**you have more control over him than we first thought!!**_" Higura argued. "Since he's the fake player, of course _you would do it to save your own ass!_"

"But _**Monomyou was with us during the search around the passageway**_...." mentioned Hiroshi. "Can he really do something like that in far proximity....?"

"_It's still up to the mastermind's control_...." Hibiki answered. "As long as he's seated and safe from harm, it wouldn't matter much....."

"Not only that..._** the poison was released when nobody's around**_..." said Taiga. "With no witnesses around, we wouldn't know who the culprit truly is...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No... Monomyou's right, they couldn't have triggered that poison code...." I can't believe I'm agreeing with Monomyou here. "If they actually did it with no attempts to be fair in this killing game, _**the bracelet wouldn't be in such a poor state**_...."

"_Poor state_....?" Hiroshi recalled back when we investigated Rei's body. "Wouldn't that just be him trying to destroy the bracelet to stop the poison from spreading?"

"Not possible!!!" Monomyou answered. "If I remembered the poison's properties correctly,_** the effect is instantaneous!!**_ Once it entered the body, _**the affected region will immediately be **_**_paralyzed_** as it traveled throughout other parts as well!!"

"It killed him in an instant...?" Higura paled at that revelation. "Then wouldn't that mean....."

_'The reason why that bracelet was in such a broken state, the truth behind it was so much worse than we first thought......'_

......................

................

"_**Rei triggered the code poisoning all by himself**_.... in short, _**he committed suicide**_...."

"Thaaaaat's right!!!" Monomyou victoriously laughed. "One of the most important rule of _The Final Killing Gam_e that _the Future Foundation_ has to suffered through was that _**attempts to remove or destroy your NG Code Poisoning bracelet would only kill you in an instant!!!**_"

"F-Fucking hell....." Taiga cursed. "He went through all of that, his plans and everything.... _only to commit suicide just like that_....?"

"He purposely killed himself just so he wouldn't get caught....?" Higura couldn't believe what he's hearing. "What the fuck, is he fucking mental...?"

"I...._ I don't know why_...." Rei has been doing everything so discreetly that it became impossible to even figure out his true intentions. Is this his way of punishing us? For not listening to him or even do anything to stop the mastermind from making us kill each other? "So... this really is his _Dies Irae_...." In the end, all of those clues we found out before still leads to this unsatisfactory ending-

"_**No, I don't think Rei would end his plan like this**_....." Shoma spoke out loud. For the first time, with a very serious look on his face, his usual slow and light-hearted tone was replaced somewhat more of a mature-sounding one. "Sumi, Higura, Taiga, Hiroshi, Hibiki..... you guys wouldn't think that _Rei would leave such a half-assed mystery like this behind_, would you...?"

"Ha-Half-assed...?" I'm more surprised hearing him cursed like that. "B-But it still makes sense no matter from which angle we look at-"

"Rei never gives up..... and _he never will even in death_...." the biologist suddenly started to monologue. "If he said he's going to do it, then he would never stop until he does it carefully and perfectly. That's how he works....._ and just like how he usually operates_...."

"O-Operates...? Shou-chin, what do you mean by that....?"

Shoma didn't say anything after that and with that solemn look on his face, _it somehow feels like he have said something that he shouldn't have_. Shoma is hiding something else from us.

"_Operates_..... now that word suddenly made me think of another question I was about to ask earlier...." Our attention turned to the abseiler. "I-I know Rei managed to fix up those _power generators_ but.... _how exactly did he powered them up and stuffs like that_....? They wouldn't exactly have enough charge even after fixing them...."

_'That question.... it does sounds kind of strange.... but is there any other way to answer that....?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"How exactly did Rei managed to charge up those generators...?" Hisao wondered.

"Wouldn't they just_ manually charged them using the hotel's electricity?_" Higura replied.

"Nope!! That will _**totally cause a blackout**_, nya' know!?" Monomyou argued. "Not like I even knew about those old things from the warehouse but maybe_ they just have some leftover energy or some sorts_!!"

"Did he maybe use_ a substitute source of electricity?_" Taiga offered. "Like something he has on-hand?"

"We don't know if we have anything similar to that in this place..." Hibiki said.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"That's it!!" I snapped my fingers once I got the answers. "_**Rei used those pellets that Taiga made for the power generators**!!!_"

"T-That's where they went to!?" the marksman shrieked. "I-I know my pellets can be multi-functional _but not in that kind of usage!!!_"

"Your.... creations literally helped him _by a ton_....." Higura sighed. "But which place did he took the pellets from? I heard that there were tons of them gone missing in certain places...."

_'The place that Rei took the pellets from was the......'_

......................

................

"_**The theater house**_...._ that place was missing most of their pellets when Taiga investigated there_....."

"It would make sense if it that place...." Taiga seems to agreed. "Then we can-"

( _**ARGUED: Amahiko Shoma & Setsu Hibiki**_ \- _"Our voices will drown your argument!!"_ \- )

* * *

"No, it has to be _some other places that we didn't know_..." Hibiki argued.

"H-Huh?" Taiga was taken aback. "But that's the only place that I couldn't find any of the remaining pellets anywhere!!"

"Hibiki and I went to that place after the explosion and the fire was put out...." Shoma reasoned. "_We saw those things still attached to the frames of the theater's front entrance_....."

_'Wait, so they were still in good condition after the fire...?'_ That detail is a bit odd. _'Something about this argument seems a bit off, but I need to hear what they have to say for now!'_

"I don't know why you guys think it's not the theater house but..." Taiga continued. "_The fact that I couldn't find any remains of my pellets is the weirdest outcome here!!_"

"Wouldn't_** they be destroyed thoroughly by the fire**?_" Hibiki asked. "The power generators were set very near the entrance so they might have taken quite a damage...."

"If Rei really did took them beforehand, wouldn't they tripped the alarm that you set up as well...?" Shoma followed after. "_It would have been obvious that he would take them if it was tripped _"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ -)**

* * *

"No, _**the traps weren't completely destroyed by the fire**_...." I argued. "Instead, they were just damaged, dented and all, something that you wouldn't expect after being exposed in such extreme temperature. _They were somehow being tampered with_....." Shoma's argument from before doesn't make this arguement sounds easier to digest. "Shou-chin, what do you mean by the traps_ still being attached to frame of the entrance_?"

"When Hibiki and I went to go through the passageway via the theatre house...." Shoma explained. "_Those traps were still on the front entrance_...."

"Y-Yeah, which is why we thought you guys mistaken it to be broken or something...." Hibiki continued. "_That's why I was surprised to hear it was being tampered with beforehand_...."

This.... _this doesn't make any sense_.

Rei must have tampered with the traps at the theater house like what he did with the traps at the old warehouse yesterday and _he did it successfully this time without triggering it_. Then _**why was it in such a poor shape right when the investigation started?**_ _Is there.... something else missing here...?_

Higura must have noticed the inconsistencies as well, he looks really bothered by what both Shoma and Hibiki as he passed a glance right at me. _'He must have thought of something else.....'_ "Hey, Hira-chin.... what are your thought about this....?"

".... There's something else I want to confirm first....." Higura started by shifting his gaze onto the feline host. "Hey, furfuck! _What would happened if the culprit committed suicide?_"

"Huuuh!? I thought I explained it before!?" Monomyou cleared out his throat as he started. "L-Like I've said before, even though there's technically no blackened or in this case, the blackened is the culprit themselves, _there's always the chances of someone who caused that death to happened!! _Or nominate someone else to be the blackened, there's always that option!"

"There's no way we would nominate someone away like that...." Such an absurd rule. Why did Higura wanted to know about that?

"Thanks for that...." He doesn't sound grateful at all. "_Fuck, this just has gotten a lot more worst_...."

"Hi-Hira-chin, what's the matter...?"

"... I was afraid that it came to this. That... I'm probably the one who realized about it by now but....." Higura asked. "Sumi, _do you remember how the bracelet looks like when you first inspected it...?_"

"Yes, why?" This conversation.... _this dreadful feeling looming over me_.

"_Then **do you remember that one method in Homare's notebook that hasn't happened yet**_...?"

'_Electrocution_-' I froze, I literally froze. Like something cold just run through my veins and just freezes my entire being. Once I processed that information that Higura wants me to solve, I finally understand why he's dreading for this moment. "_You gotta be shitting me_....."

"Sumi, what's the matter...?" Hiroshi asked. "D-Did you and Higura found out something else...?"

"..... _Yeah_....." I don't wanna say it. _I really don't wanna say it_. "_That this case does have a culprit after all_...."

"W-Who would that be!?" Hibiki demanded. "I-I thought it's clear that Rei committed suicide!!"

"But Monomyou already said it themselves....." Higura explained. "It's either _we nominate someone to be the blackened _or _we figure out who's the indirect cause of that death_. That's the rule of this killing game. _The rule that I fucking regret bringing up right now_...."

This isn't fair. _This isn't fucking fair_. Why does it have to be like this? _**Why does it have to be that person**!?_

_"The person.... who indirectly caused Rei's death was....."_

......................

................

"**Yoshimune Taiga,** the** Ultimate Marksman**......"

"H-Huh...?" the marksman almost staggered a bit in his podium. "Y-You're kidding, right? Aha... haha... there's no way... _there's no way I'm the culprit here!!_"

Higura doesn't want to say anything else, so it's up to me to handle this. "T-Tai-chin..." Fuck, I'm already getting chocked-up right now._ This is so pathetic_. "... I-I'm sorry but the rules....."

"Y-You're going to take what Monomyou said over saving your friend's life like that!?" Hiroshi yelled. "That's still playing into their hands, Sumi!! Please think about this more!!"

"Roshi-chin...I-"

( _**ARGUED: Osame Hiroshi**_ \- _"I won't let you!!"_ \- )

* * *

"No, I will make you change your mind!!" Hiroshi declared, furiously rubbing away his tears. "I won't accept that outcome and I won't allow it to happened!!"

"R-Roshi, _please_...."

"In one way or another..._ I will prove to you that Taiga isn't guilty!!_"

_'I wish I can do the same but.....'_ "Alright, let's hear it...." I gave in. "I wanna hear your side of the argument...."

"Sumi, _you were with Rei the whole time,_ right!?" Hiroshi furiously asked. "And _you were standing by the only pathway that could lead to his location!_ If Taiga's was the culprit, then_ how did he discreetly passed by you without even seeing him!?_"

"It doesn't matter if he didn't passed by me..." I tried to reason with him. "And it doesn't matter if he wasn't there physically!!"

"So are you saying that he indirectly damaged that poison bracelet?" Hiroshi exclaimed. "That's impossible!! We already said that _**Rei smashed that thing to trigger it**!!_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!!"_ -)**

* * *

".... You're right... Rei did damaged it by himself **_but_**...." This is the part where Higura realized it was Taiga who serves as the culprit for this case. "He didn't just damaged it by force.... _**he used one of Taiga's electrified pellets**_. The bracelet when we first inspected_** looked like it was fried from the inside for some reason**_... _and the only reason why that would happened is if_....."

"If Rei.... _**he's the one who took that one missing pellet from the bar**_...." I'm glad that Taiga pieced it together, even when it's going to lead to his demise. "... That fucker played me like a damn fiddle....."

"E-Even if he used one of Taiga's invention, does he still count as the potential culprit of this case!?" Hibiki turned to Monomyou. "Taiga didn't even knew he was being used like that!! Does it really count, Monomyou!?"

"Eh, this kind of morality again, huh?" Monomyou sighed heavily. "Well, like I've said before, the culprit is whoever kill someone or even gave that opportunity to kill themselves!! After all, _do you really want to feigned ignorance now after leaving so many opportunities for that wasted pest to pick up?_"

_They're right_, Taiga's skills were exceptionally dangerous, though it's still very useful. As a skilled marksman, he was framed before during the second class trial and now _his inventions are being used that literally puts him on the spot_. But,_** that fault still lies on us**_. We encouraged that plan of his and let it happened. We didn't think of the consequences of what Rei would do if he knew about it.

_**All in all, we're still responsible for Taiga's demise**_.

"No.. I still won't believe it!!" Hiroshi shook his head furiously. "Y-You're just saying that because you don't want to go with Monomyou's first option!! _If this is the case where we truly have to nominate someone to be the blackened_....."

"Hiroshi,_ don't you dare fucking go there_....." Higura warned. "It wouldn't go well on your side if it turns out Taiga is the real culprit of this case...."

"Higura, do you really believe that...?" Hibiki's voice was too low for me to hear initially. "Do you really believe that speculation blindly?"

"I don't want to doubt my friends but....." Shoma finally spoke up. "If we can't accept that Taiga might potentially be the culprit,_ then this could put everyone's lives on the line_....."

"Everyone..." Taiga looked torn. "I-"

"_**Hold it right there!!!**_"

"It seems a battle between what's right and wrong has started!!" Monomyou announced. "Even though this host is also a participant of this trial, I will only exclude myself as to make the fight between friends a bit more fairer!! Now then, in a time like this, the host has to provide this special program to have you guys fight with style!! Ladies and Gentlemen!! Your amazing host would like you all to proudly participate in the luxury hotel's exclusive _**morphenomenal trial grounds**!!_"

"This shit again..." Higura doesn't look to happy about it. "Fine, just pit us against each other then._ I'm gonna stick by my words no matter what_...."

_'We need to stay our ground,** literally and metaphorically**.... Even if we can't accept, it's a possibility that we shouldn't ignore it!!'_

* * *

( **Scrum Debate** )

( **Question **\- "_Is Taiga potentially the culprit?_" )

( "_No, he's not the culprit!!_" - Taiga, Hiroshi and Hibiki )

( "_Yes, he could possibly be the culprit!!_" - Sumi, Higura and Shoma )

"You're basing off your **_speculations _**without considering other factors at all!!" Hiroshi argued.

"Those _**speculations **_were backed up by evidences we found during the investigation!!" I fight back.

"I didn't mean to **_kill_**Rei in the first place!!" said Taiga.

"Even if you didn't mean to _**kill**_ him, the rules about this case still pinned you as the potential culprit..." Higura replied.

"How could you all trust **_Monomyou's words_** so easily like that?" Hibiki asked.

"_**Monomyou's words**_ are designed to make this class trial fair for both side..." Shoma answered.

"Would you really be fine pinning Taiga as the true **_culprit _**of this case!?" Hiroshi demanded

"He could potentially be the **_culprit_**, but there are still evidences we haven't talked about yet!!" said Higura.

"There are other _**mysteries**_ that still remained in this case..." Hibiki pointed out.

"We will get to those **_mysteries_**to confirm any of our suspicion!!" I answered.

**( _BREAK!_ \- _"This is our answer!"_ -)**

* * *

"Everyone, I know it's hard to accept this possibility....." I stated. "But this isn't something we shouldn't deny or just simply look away. This is.... _the reality of the killing game's true nature_...."

A killing game where we shouldn't have put our faith and trust so blindly in other people. Where we could be betrayed at any moment.

"This is also not just Taiga's life on the line, it's everyone else's like what Shoma said._ And Taiga_....."

"I.... I wouldn't be able to live with everyone being executed_ just by being in denial_...." Taiga confessed. "I... don't want to be the culprit but at the same time.... _I don't want everyone to get killed because of me_...."

"..... Shit...." Hiroshi cursed under his breath. "_This whole thing is screwed up_....."

"That bastard just has to bring down one more person with him...." Higura frowned. "Just so he could shove it in our faces once more...."

"He already hurt us enough....." said Hibiki with a pained expression. "Why is he so adamant on getting back at us...."

"Maybe..._** it isn't clear enough**_...." claimed the biologist. "Sumi, is there another clue that made you believe _**Rei was trying to get Taiga to be the culprit for his case?**_"

"I-I do but...." I briefly looked at the marksman for an answer. "It's something you guys' wouldn't be happy to hear about....."

"Go ahead, Sumi...." Taiga smiled sadly. "After all, _it's just the two of us left, there's nothing left to hide_..."

"Right...." And so the story of the survival group and their everlasting effort to stay hidden from others has finally ended. I pulled out_** a torn note with a list of names**_ that I found inside a bloodied lab coat's pocket. "This... is why I think he was targeting Taiga.... _**it's the list of people who belonged to the group that Rei made**_...."

"A group that he made? How did you know that...?" Higura asked.

"_Because I was part of that group_...." I confessed. "That group was created by Rei to try and find out why we were trapped here in the first place and the identity behind the mastermind himself. In the end, _**it's more or less a death trap that he used on us**_...."

"Amane as well...?" Hibiki's eyes widened. "_W-Why_...."

"We were all desperate back then, to find answers to our whereabouts and why we're here...." I explained, slowly. "In the end, we fell right into t_he fake player _and _the mastermind's_ trap-"

"_**It's not a trap**_..." Shoma sternly stated. "_Rei didn't make that group just so he would get rid of you all_....." 

"H-Huh? Why would you think of it like that...?" Taiga sounded confused. "_Why would you know about something like that_...?"

"Shou-chin..... _you're hiding something else_, are you....?" _I knew it_. "_Was the lab coat clue really belongs to you?_"

Shoma looked away for a moment before he said, "This critter... _can't really say it myself_....."

"Huh? You just reverted back to your critter-speak?" Monomyou tilts their head as they asked. "Usually this kind of action mean _they're very guilty about something!!_"

_'Guilty about something? What could he possibly be guilty of? What are you trying to hide, Shou-chin...?"_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_He's definitely hiding something!!_" Monomyou claimed. "Most people reverted back to their usual self as an act of defence!!"

"What else could Shoma hide from us...?" Higura asked. "_**He already told us everything we asked from him!!**_"

"What _if he lied about those certain things!?_" Monomyou suggested. "After all, not everything he said can be considered the truth now, can it?"

"If he lied...." Hibiki asked. "Then, you're saying _he could possibly be the culprit as well?_"

"E-Even so, that's still impossible...." Taiga replied. "After all, _**I was the one who stumbled upon him at passageway near the warehouse entrance**!!_"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

Monomyou's right, _he did lied about something_. "Shou-chin, _**you lied about having Nao's secret motive**_, right? In fact, _**you have someone else's motive**_...." This has to mean Renma got someone else's motive, _not Rei's_. "_**Whose motives that we got wrong?**_"

"..... _Renma_, _Rei _and_ I_...." Shoma answered. "_**Renma has my motive**_ and _**Rei has Nao's motive**_....."

"T-Then that means....!"

"Yes, _**this critter has Rei's motive**_...." he admitted it. "This critter.... _**knew about his ultimate talent this entire time**_....."

"What....." Why did he kept that information from us?! "W-Why...."

"Because.... _**I made a promise with those two**_....." Shoma explained. "I made a promise that I would keep my words.... _if it's to find out more about the **truth**_....."

"I... have a some doubts when you said that you have Nao's motive...." said Taiga. "When I first asked you about it back then, _**you said you have the motive of someone you trust**_. Saying that you have Nao's motive with that kind of sentence now...._ it doesn't fit at all_....."

And if Rei really has Nao's motive, then it would make sense. It is someone he really hates and someone whom he already figured out their true personality since the beginning. "Shou-chin.... _**what's Rei's true ultimate talent?**_"

"Rei made me promised to not tell everyone because **_he was scared_**....." That's one word I would never used to described _the eccentric conman I used to know_. "He knew all of you wouldn't accept the truth if you knew it by yourselves. He couldn't say it or else he will be killed earlier. So.... _he took matters in his own hands_.... not as _**Mafuyu Hisao, the Ultimate Conma****n**_, _his disguise_.... not as _**Oshiro Eiichi, the Ultimate Lucky Student**_,_ his past self_....... but as the _**Ultimate Spy of Hope's Peak Academy himself**_....."

_ **[ Class Trial - INTERMISSION- ]** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ FACT ]  
Wow, the timing of this fact with this chapter sure is SOMETHING; the only character who has canonical romantic feelings towards Sumi is Taiga (during his FTEs, she did acknowledged it bUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER STORY)  
-  
A trial being broken down in three chapters because there's a shitton of exposition going on? It's more than what you think-  
I would like to summarized this entire story up until this chapter as "So you found out you've been back-stabbed and lied to by one bastard the entire time!"


	34. Chapter V: Alptraum's Hymn: Deadly Life - Trial III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Finally, I'm here now...."  
The trial ends in a heartbeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ TW ]  
Heavily mentioned usage of firearms in this chapter!!

**[ _Class Trial - RESUMED -_ ]**

"... _**But as the Ultimate Spy of Hope's Peak Academy**_....."

"Ul.... _Ultimate Spy?_" Did I hear that right? _**Mafuyu Hisao the Ultimate Conman**_ is actually..._** Oshiro Eiichi the Ultimate Spy**_? _That's_. "Then is Oshiro Eiichi really his name? That.... wouldn't be his name then...."

"Nyahahaha!!! You finally connected the dots, Ms. Investigator!!" Monomyou have already given me that hint last time. Last time, when they explained the purpose of the labyrinth and gave us a chance to get our answers. _The reason why they gave me that answer back then_.... "I'm quite disappointed in you all, ya' know!! Choosing to uncover such a minor characters to only found out that _**he's just a nobody**!!_ _**A nobody without a name**!!_ _**A nobody who's pretending to be somebody**!!_"

_Like a ghost_, just some lingering spirit that resides with us for too long. So that's what he is, _who he is_. "He's a spy from Hope's Peak Academy... _yet working for the mastermind? _Shoma, why did he-"

"This critter already told you enough...." He sounds desperate, for us to not questioned him any further. "This is my limit. I'm not supposed to supposed to help you all over that limit...."

"Li-Limit... are you some sort of _**sleeper agent**_ for Rei...?" Higura asked, hands visibly shaking from the revelations. "Were you secretly relaying our actions and secrets to him when we weren't looking....?"

"That.... explains it...." Hibiki gasped as she glances right at me. "... That explains it, right? How Rei even knew about your secret motive in the first place?"

_'Even though Hibiki was supposed to be the one who knew about my injury. There's also another person who knew and told Rei about it. That person who was also with us prior to that was.....'_

......................

................

"**_Amahiko Shoma_**.... _you told Rei about my secret motive, didn't you?_"

"Even if I told him that, there's no use as _**he already knows everything he needs about us**_...." Rei really is the only one who have all his memories still. But due to some interference, possibly from Monomyou and that damned code poisoning, _he's unable to give us those answers_. "...._ That's all this critter will tell everyone. I'm sorry for deceiving you all...."_

"W-Wait!! I don't understand!!" My usual speaking tone is slowly falling apart. "I don't understand, Shou-chin.... why were you working Rei in the first place? I thought you didn't trust him in the first place!! Why are you keeping all of this from us? D-Didn't you say that... _we shouldn't keep secrets from each other?_"

"Sumi-critter, _you're the one who's keeping the most secrets from everyone else here_...." What? What does that mean?! He's saying the same thing that Rei told me before! "But, this this trial isn't about this critter, _**it's about Rei and Taiga**, _right? This critter already lost so there's nothing else that's holding back this critter from saying anything crucial at this point...."

"Taiga as well... so he is the culprit in this case...?" Hibiki nodded sadly. "That's.... already our answer, isn't it?"

"Hold on!! We can't dismissed Shoma's involvement just like that!!" Hiroshi argued. "He said so himself that he already lost..... _there's still chances that he could be the culprit!!!_"

"That's impossible, all of those clues we've discussed earlier were linked to our previous culprits but Shoma isn't part of any of those things!!" Taiga refuted the abseiler's statement. "Also..._ how would Rei's indirect death would even be caused by him?_"

"Could it be something related to what he was doing when we going through _that secret passageway?_" Hibiki brought it up, reminding everyone that they were separated prior to the entire group meeting up.

_'I... can't lose my composure right now.... even with that.... I must push myself through till the end...!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"We can't dismiss _Shoma being the potential culprit!!_" Hiroshi started.

"But there's no_** past evidences linked him to being the culprit here**_...." Higura argued. "At most, _he's mostly the bystander_....."

"What about when we were separated?" Hibiki asked. "_Did Shoma went somewhere else?_"

"He said _he was lost when I found him!!_" Taiga exclaimed. "_**There's no other places he would go to after all!**_"

"This critter doesn't really know their way underground...." Shoma confessed.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"No... I can think of one place he might go to...." Finally, _**that evidence**_ makes sense now. "_**The theater house**_........ they were set of _**ashy footprints the leads to the inside of the building**_, right? The only person who would be near that place would be..... _**Shoma**_, himself. Isn't that right... _Shou-chin?_"

"Why would this critter go to the theater house in the first place, Sumi?" the biologist feigned ignorance. "Like this critter said before, there's no reason for me to go there...."

"_**There is**_... now that we know your complicated alliance with Rei...." There's no use for me to sugarcoat this. "You purposely went back to the theater house _**to destroy the traps that Taiga set up before**_. You said it yourself, _**they weren't in that state before you and Hibiki went looking for us**_. So in that case, they have to be destroyed **_right after you guys went into the passageway_**.... in which_** it was you who went back instead, to destroy any evidences that Rei took the pellets there...**_"

"Sh-Shoma made us split up....." Hibiki stammered. "He suggested that we split up to find others faster and I ended up reuniting with Hiroshi and Monomyou instead. So during that time, **_he must have went back after ensuring I went off alone first_**...."

"_**Fucking shit**!!_ I should have known!!" Higura cursed loudly as he glares at the biologist. "..._ **It was you who suggest we all went to different buildings and distract Monomyou as well**! _So that everyone wouldn't have any solid alibi, isn't it!?"

"Since Shoma was present when we discussed about setting up the traps near every entrance of the buildings...." every questions from how Rei know about the traps being there and able to know who set them up makes sense now to the marksman. ".... _He sold us out_......"

"B-But...." Hiroshi still have the energy to keep his suspicion on Shoma up. "I-I..._ just can't believe it_. I'm so.... _frustrated_.... Rei took advantage of Taiga like that and Shoma hiding everything from us...."

"_Roshi-chin_....."

"There... there has to be another explanation for that person's death, right!? ..... Sumi,_ please tell me that there's another way_...." he begged.

_'.... No... there's no other way. I'm sorry, Hiroshi.....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Hiroshi, that's enough...." Hibiki pleaded. "There's no other way to it,_** Rei indirectly made Taiga the culprit in this case**_....."

"This isn't fair....." Hiroshi gritted his teeth. "_This whole thing is just bullshit!!_"

"_We knew that very well by now_.... " Higura seems annoyed by this. "_**There's nothing else we can prove that Taiga is innocent here**_..."

"But is Rei really the one who broke his own bracelet!?" Hiroshi demanded. "_**We didn't find any proof for that, did we!?**_"

"Hiroshi... please stop this already...." Taiga tries to calm the other down. "_There's no way you can defend me at this point_...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Behind Rei's body.... when we first found him dead while sitting up straight..... _**there's a dented wall with shards in them**_.... there's no doubt that _**Rei tried to place Taiga's electrified pellets in there and immediately smashed the bracelet against that spot**_...." The next sentence is going to sting a bit. "No matter from what or who's perspective we try to justify or even reasoned with... this is nothing more than _his payback for messing up his plan_, _for getting in his way_......"

This whole trial is nothing more than just a deceased person's petty revenge against the people who wanted to survive.

That's the harsh reality. Like what Rei said before, during Hinako's trial....

[ _"Be careful of who you made friends and enemies with.... who knows when will they pulled the rug underneath you...."_ ]

**_That's the curse that Rei has cast upon all of us_**. A warning he already gave since the very beginning.

_And we're the fools who didn't take him seriously._

"So... what should we do now...." Hibiki broke the silence as she softly spoke up. "We... know who the culprit is... and who work alongside Rei to make this all happened.... should we vote now...?"

"There's one more question I want to know first. I'm sorry but this won't take long...." I tried to reassure them, _or was that actually for me?_ I don't know anymore but I'm getting tired already. "Shou-chin... about that lab coat we found in Rei's room... _**it was yours**_, right?"

"Yes.." Without any hesitation. "Although it was the animal whisperer's request to lend it for a while... Rei did rescued me for saying it belonged to hers instead of this critter here....."

"So in that case... while being the witness of hearing Homare exiting the room... _**you're also on watch if anyone else would wake up, is that correct?**_"

"That's just a coincidence for this critter, have no involvement in the first case... after all, the lab coat seems to have more significance..."

_I guess so_. I'm uncomfortable with how Shoma answering all those questions so easily. As if he just gave up in defending himself. A part of me wishes he could at least put up a fight, just screaming and shouting while denying being an accomplice. But I forgot, _he isn't like that_. He's the type who wanted to get along with everyone, he doesn't want anymore conflict within the group so instead of fighting back and making it worst,_ he gave up just so we can end this trial with minimal scars to bear_.

Taiga didn't say anything about his... _accidental involvement_. It's like he accept it at his point, even with Hiroshi who desperately tried to defend him. The moment he said,_ "I don't want everyone else to get killed because of me"_, that has to be his way in telling the other to give up already.

This is like the last trial, when Mitsun gave up, _and **I hated it**_. I wished they could have just fight back, changed my mind and made us vote for the wrong person on purpose. But, that's just my escapism talking and I can't let that overtake me just because everything has gotten too emotionally painful for me.

'_Rei.... If I knew who you were before then maybe I could have change my initial impression of you immediately but for now... **congratulations**.. **you were able to make everyone in this trial both despise and afraid of you like you hoped for**_.....'

"Monomyou.... this will take a while but I will have to review everything, starting from the first case with additional materials...." I asked the host just in case. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yup, yup!! I'm alright with everything as long as we reached to our satisfying conclusion!!" Monomyou is the only one who seemed excited here. "With all these twists and turns, there's no doubt it would be a satisfying conclusion to this trial that I've been waiting for so long!!"

"_I knew you would say that_....." Monomyou's attempt to make Rei their personal assistant must have backfired which is why the host was so desperate to get rid of him now. But for some reason,_ Rei just has to do that to himself instead._ I still don't why he would do that but for now, I can't just ask for answers from a dead-man. "I will go over all the cases from the previous trials now but.... _everyone_..... you don't have to think of this as Rei's victory to make us to be taken over by despair.... whatever the truth is that awaits us after this... _**we shouldn't dwell in despair**_....."

I can see hope reignited in their eyes a little bit, at least it works, no matter how painful the end results will be, we will have to stand on our ground..... _together for the last time_. "_Here's the full story.... **behind the curtains**_...."

* * *

**( Closing Argument )**

"This entire situation happened when the fake player joined the cast of this Killing Game. That fake player is the victim of this case, the **Ultimate Spy, Rei** themselves. In order to get back Monomyou for making him participate the game, he had an agenda of his own; to get rid of the mastermind so that his true identity won't be revealed to us. Remember, **we don't know if this person is still on our side or not**_. _For now,_ **Rei **_**stands on a neutral line**_, neither our side or the mastermind's side_..."

"In order to get around places without Monomyou tracking his every move, he went to Hinako who came up with her findings on _**sound frequencies**_ which leads to creation of _**signal jammer device**_. While the cameras as the bar may be broken prior to us entering here, with Rei still around in that place with that device, there's no way Monomyou would even have proof that Rei's the one who did it or can even come close without getting attacked. Monomyou couldn't kill Rei on the spot or else we would immediately pinned the blame on them thanks to the presence of _**NG Code Poisoning bracelet**_.."

"In order to give Hinako a motive to kill someone and push us forward into suspecting others more, Rei asked Nao to forged those _**fake murderous entries on Homare's notebook**_ but unknowingly, accidentally gave the ghostwriter a plan to commit her own crime soon. Even though he doesn't want to be involved in this killing game,_** it doesn't mean he wanted it to end prematurely or even get killed by everyone else so he has to survive until he can get close to the mastermind **_**_themselves_**. However, because of Hinako trying to pin the blame on Shoma with the presence of his _**lab coat at the crime scene**_, he quickly took it without letting others inspected it closely and pin the blame on Hinako instead to save Shoma from any suspicion..."

"When _**the secret motives**_ happened and Shoma knew about his true ultimate talent, both of them worked together just so the biologist couldn't rat him out. Rei then manipulated Saku to commit a crime by using his secret motive in order to obtained his _**toolkit **_in exchange of one of the plans forged in the notebook. We're not so sure if Saku really wanted to escape from the place or not but _**he didn't expect being exposed by the Ultimate Spy for sure**_..."

"The third case happened without his involvement at all since Rei's relationship with Nao is quite strained at best but what he did instead was switching out _**fake profiles**_ of himself in _**the student profile file**_ just to confused us, seeing how we're slowly remembering our graduation memories. However at that point, Monomyou must have gotten the idea of revealing his true identity through the _**puzzle labyrinth of the fourth case**_. He was quick to solve it with Mitsuru aiding him as he took the chance to make her help him with his plan to make some sort of homemade explosives in _**colourful plastic bottles**_..."

"With all cases now completed with some background help, _we can now focus on the present time with a lot more context_. Even with his best attempts to keep his identity hidden with Monomyou's interference, he gave up due to frustration as he claimed that he will blew up the place **_if the Ultimate Despair doesn't show themselves _**because remember; _Killing the Ultimate Despair is strictly forbidden_ as said on his_ NG Code Poisoning bracelet _like some sort of command_**. If he can't get the mastermind to show themselves, then they will settle with the Ultimate Despair who's hiding in the killing game to scare them out**...."_

"With the plan set in motion and Shoma relaying any information he gathered on us, Rei made use of **the electrified pellets** being set as a trap that Taiga made to power up the generators in order for the explosives to go off. He set off those explosives near the front entrances of the bar, theatre house and the old warehouse. However, what he didn't expected was _**my attempt to look for him to discuss about the deal I made with Monomyou**_...."

"As the explosives went off, trapping Rei and I inside the bar, he pressured me to go through the secret passageway by overpowering me physically, _**due to my secret motive revealed to be my long-term injury**_. We were in so much of a hurry that _**I didn't noticed that Rei had already tampered the traps there**_. Meanwhile the outside of the blazing building, Shoma suggested that everyone split up to find our location, unknowingly separating us_** so that there wouldn't be anyone to witness him carrying out the other side of the plan**_...."

"Now with everyone going their separate ways, Shoma made sure Hibiki went ahead so that he could go back and _**completely destroyed the traps at the theatre house to cover Rei's tracks **_and went ahead to do the same for the traps at the warehouse. However, since Taiga found him too soon, he has no choice but to ditch that plan, _**his attempt to destroyed any evidences, left by the Ultimate Spy, were foiled by the unexpected soon to be culprit of this case**_...."

"Back to Rei's situation, with his plan falling apart by unforeseen circumstances and now that this whole thing attracted Monomyou's attention, _**he decided to make a last minute effort to pay us back for ruining his plan**_. Making use of the dented wall behind him, _**he placed one of the missing pellets from the bar inside as he smashed the poisoned bracelet against it which automatically releases the poison into his system, instantaneously causes his death**_. By the time we meet back with him, _**we were too late**_...."

"_All of the previous cases were done by the helping hand of** the fake player and the victim himself, the Ultimate Spy**.... dooming all the culprits before him as well as this case's unwilling culprit, **Yoshimune Taiga, the Ultimate Marksman!**_"

* * *

_It's over, it's finally over..._

Shakily, I raised my voice, "... _Is that enough everyone?_ I did my best... It's not exactly a very coherent story-line that I came up with...." Mysteries behind Rei's intentions about the previous murder cases still remained unknown but we don't have any other clues relating to them at this point. _And we don't have the willpower to go through them now either_.

"... At least.... _it's a possibility that we can all accept_.... " Hibiki is the first one to reply back after that. ".. You've done enough for our sake, Sumi. _Thank you_...."

"Well, well, well!!" the unwelcoming high-pitched voice interrupts. "Can't believe that pest went through all that trouble_ only to fail in the end!!_ _**Guess he actually gets something awful in return for not listening to his allies**!!_ Nyahaha!! Dear guests, do not shed your tears just yet!! _Ladies and Gentlemen!! _It's the satisfying conclusion to the trial that you've been waiting for!!_**It's Voting Time**!!_"

Like before, I didn't want the voting screen to linger in front of me any longer, I immediately voted for the marksman as it disappeared from my sight. Hiroshi hesitated for a second before eventually casting his vote with a grim look on his face. With everyone putting in their votes already, the giant roulette spun as the arrow landed on **_Yoshimune Taiga_** with the brightly-lit word _'**GUILTY**'_ mocking us.

"I can't believe this!! Even with such an aimless trial with many clues, everyone voted for the correct culprit!!" Monomyou announced the final verdict. "Everyone's right for the fifth!! The true culprit for that pest's demise was _**Yoshimune Taiga**_, the _**Ultimate Marksman**_!!!"

"Ha... ahaha, guess I'm really done for...." Taiga laughed, as if what he's hearing now seems like a daydream to him. "This sucks... _this really fucking sucks_......"

"..... Tai-chin, _we're so sorry_....." I stepped forward from others. "If only we didn't encouraged you to make those traps... if only we thought of other ways to stopped Rei from exploding the whole damned place up...... if only... _there are any other possibilities that we could have had_...."

_Then you wouldn't be pinned as the culprit in this case_.

"Yeah.... I'm quite upset that I actually chose to listen to you guys instead of thinking twice about it but...." Taiga smiled reassuringly as he place his hand on my shoulder. "..... We really didn't know Rei's capabilities to make use of his situation so.... it's kinda unfair to receive all the blame without knowing what will go wrong, isn't it? I know you're not some amazing psychic that we can rely on, Sumi...."

"_**That's not an excuse**_....." I'm frustrated, so, _so frustrated_. "All of this could have been prevented... all of this could have been easily stopped... if I didn't made that fucking deal with Monomyou.... if I didn't trust Rei so much.... then no one would get involved in this... if only I didn't rely on you all so much....._** no one would have gotten hurt**_....."

_ <strike>**I screw up**, **I screw up, I screw up, I screw up-**</strike> _

"Sumi... _**the fault can lie on everyone else here**_...." the marksman squeezed my shoulder tightly as if to snapped out of my loathing thoughts. "_Anyone of us could have stopped Rei_ when they could,_ anyone could have stopped you from making that deal with Monomyou_ before two of you came into an agreement and _anyone could have stepped in to say something about the flaws of my traps_...... _**but none of them chose to do it**_. Hell, Monomyou could have even stopped Rei himself if they used their brain for once...."

"_H-Hey!! This host doesn't approved of that non-subtle jab there!!_"

".... To even think everything here is under your control is quite a ridiculous thing...." Taiga ignored the host's remark. ".. You wanted the best results for everyone but it fell apart just like that. It's a mistake that you can't even predict with your amazing strategic skills. You don't... well, _I guess Higura might have a better way to say that_...."

"You bet your fucking ass I have a better way to deliver this sappy shit!!" I didn't have to time to react properly as the designer spun me around as he glared right at me. But then, his features softened a bit, "_**Look**_.... all of us should have been more careful and it's partially my fault for letting you off that easily. Hey, you heard that correctly, right? That it's also _**my fault**_? I admitted it!! I am an idiot for making you go and cause hell for no reason!!"

"E-Even though... I still don't like that everything has come to this decision......" Hiroshi spoke up after Higura. ".... _**Everyone else is in the wrong here**_. You, Taiga, Higura, Hibiki, Shoma, me.... shit, even Rei himself did something more fucked up than the rest of us..... "

"Not everyone's life is in your hands, Sumi...." Hibiki comforted me as she took my hand in hers. "It was ours to control and yet we chose to go along with you.... if you see it that way,_ that was kind of our first mistake, isn't it?_"

"E-Everyone....." They're too kind,_ too kind to accept this_. Shoma didn't dare to come near even though he looked like he wanted to. I swallowed down my anger and pride as I slowly approached him, pushing away Hibiki and Higura slightly as I did.

My right hand curled into a tight fist as I unconsciously raised it once I stood in front of the biologist. My entire body is shaking right now, no matter how well I hid it, the resenting feelings I felt towards Shoma during the trial is waiting to _burst out_. Instead, I just collapsed onto his chest, startling the biologist as I did, "..... Why did you lied... I don't get it...."

_In the end, **I can't bring myself to hate anyone because I'm just that weak.**_

".. Were you really that indebted to Rei that you chose to keep it away from us...." I spilled out my thoughts that have been accumulated ever since the revelations behind Rei's true ultimate came into light. "You and Renma...... I.... I-I thought...."

_ ** <strike>Are we really friends?</strike> ** _

_ _

"..... Sumi, there's some truth that.... _is best we left for you to know_....." he reverted back to his normal self, tearing down his defensive 'critter' speech and mask as he patted my head like I'm just a little child to him. "... The reason why we, even Rei, kept it from everyone is that... _**it's horrifying**_...... _**it's treacherous**_.... it's too much for Renma and I to handle as we couldn't believe it when that Ultimate Spy told us ...... until we helped him to uncover more about _**that truth**_...."

"Ah-ha! You better not stepped over that line, Mr. Biologist...." Monomyou showed their claws as their face seemed to reddened with anger. "**_Or else you will get something awful in return_**...."

"Sorry, Myoumyou but _this is the final stage of Rei's plan so I can't really stop myself at this very moment..._" Shoma smiled. "_And I'm really glad to be the one who would end this trial with an answer._..."

"What is-?" He suddenly pulled me closer into a tight hug. "H-huh!? Shoma, why are you-"

"_**Hoshino Sumire**, the **Ultimate Private Investigator**, is the **Ultimate Despair** and **the true mastermind of this Killing Game**....._"

He lets me go quickly with a smile still, ".... _And that's the truth. Rei, Renma and I will be counting on you guys to find out why_....."

"Ah.... a-ah....." _What was that? Did he... said something.... that...._

"W-what!? Sumi is... the _**Ultimate Despair**!?_ There's no fucking way that's-!" I can hear everyone's voice rang out in denial. Higura, Hiroshi and Hibiki, their voices meshed together into an unrecognized jumbled of mess. Taiga left them behind as he stood next to Shoma.

_"Haaah.... I guess it's you and me in the end, right now...."_

_"Did you complete Rei's request? That critter will scold you if you didn't, you know? It's quite important for him stated in his will even....."_

_"I wouldn't even forgive something as important as that, you know!! Well... we already completed our side here.... **destroying Monomyou's plans in the process**...."_

"Y-You guys, wait...!" I can't find my voice, what is happening here? What's going on? What are they even talking about?! My arms stretched out as if to grabbed their attention but Monomyou jumped down right in front of me.

"Nyahaha..._**I see so this is what that pest has been planning up to**!!_" Monomyou's high-pitched voice just turned into something more sinister sounding. "Well-played, pest!! _You managed to ruined **my own play** in the process!! **You know that's considered against the rule**, right?"_

".... _It's a more favorable outcome after all_....." both Taiga and Shoma said at the same time.

"W-Wait!!" I sprinted, my legs started to work on its own. _Adrenaline rush or not_, there's no way the host would-!! "Tai-chin!! Shou-chin!! _**Please don't**!!_"

"... This critter wishes farewell to everyone else...." Shoma waved a goodbye. "... _And hoped that everyone will reach out the truth they needed to know_...."

"_I hope you're able to find peace even by yourself, Sumi_...." Taiga smiled sadly. ".... _I know you're stronger than this so I will be rooting for you no matter what_...."

_"Ladies and gentlemen, strapped yourselves back!! It's the moment you guys have been waiting for!!!"_ Monomyou announced loudly. "_**It's Punishment Time**!!!_"

Pair of chained collars appeared right from above as they snapped closed around the necks of the marksman and the marine biologist, forcibly lifting them upwards as they pulled back. My fingers grazed past Shoma's hands a bit as my gaze solely focused on the pure contempt look of his...... _with regret clearly shown in his eyes_.

**[ YOSHIMUNE TAIGA HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY ]**

**[ AMAHIKO SHOMA HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY ]**

**[ LET US COMMENCE THEIR PUNISHMENT ]**

* * *

[ **_Ultimate Marksman, Yoshimune Taiga's Execution_** ]

[_ Attention!! A Fusillading Punishment!!_ ]

&

[ **_Ultimate Marine Biologist, Amahiko Shoma's Execution_** ]

[_ Rejoice!! The Underwater__ Cell Of Doom__!!_ ]

Taiga was tied to a wooden post, both his arms and legs bound, as his toes barely reaches the ground below. Countless copies of Mini-myous surrounded him with rifles in hand, waiting for the leader to give off their signal to fire.

Right above them, the ceiling was replaced with glass as Taiga can see right through it. Shoma was also bound with his legs being weigh down and tied to ceiling with a metal chain. Above the biologist were a pair of sharks circling around, _waiting to devour him_.

The lead Mini-gave out their signal as one of them fired their shot, the bullet grazes the marksman's cheek as he flinched. Another fire and missed his head. And as they're getting close to their target.... _Taiga suddenly switched up his position as he turned around, the ropes were cut off by a pocket knife that he hid in his sleeves... as he approached the firing squad with top speed_.

Shoma struggled against his restraints as one of the sharks, _mechanical sharks in fact_, approached closer and closer. With every swoop and attempts to bite off his head, the biologist manages to dodge every single of them as he eyed on the marksman's actions below them.

Taiga managed to disarmed one of the squad and now with the rifle in hand, he's able to shoot down every single one of them. Every single shot the squad fired, he has to endure it as the bullets ripped through his limbs._ Until every single one of the Mini-myous are down, he has to survive until the very end._

After successfully evading the shark advances to ripped of his limbs and inspected the machines closely, Shoma realized that Monomyou is operating one of them as he tried to catch their attention by provoking them. The shark that was controlled by Monomyou strikes and instead of biting down on a body, Shoma pushed himself upwards as _the machine sank its teeth onto the metal chain instead, unable to unlatched itself from it_.

With the target immobilized and the glass ceiling slowly breaking apart from the impact the shark made, Taiga loaded one of the bullets he hid in his pocket and aimed at the ceiling, _right at Monomyou..... then fired his shot_. Without realizing, few of the Mini-myou are back on their feet and with rifles still in their hands.... _**they shot down the marksman until he's down for good**_.

The bullet fired from the culprit below pierced through the glass ceiling and aimed directly at Monomyou as they slumped over the control panels. The shark became unresponsive. Shoma almost breathed out a sigh of relief before the looming shadow of the other shark appeared right behind him.... _**and bite down on him**_.

The glass ceiling breaks as the sharks landed on the floor with a loud metal thud, making the Mini-myous swim for their deal life as Monomyou,_** now not functioning due to a fatal shot**_.

* * *

**[ _Higura's P.O.V_ ]**

I... couldn't believe it. Not only Taiga and Shoma got executed but... _they managed to take out Monomyou in the process as well!? This is the first time we've witnessed a double, no,** triple execution being done successfully**....._

"That Monomyou... is actually dead-" Just when I about to say it, the devil itself showed up, working properly and without a scratch. _'Shit.. just when we finally got our... victory? Is it really our victory with two of our closest friend who are gone now....'_

"Th-That was a close one!!" Monomyou shivered in excitement. "T-This host can't believed it!! To be killed while trying to entertain other guests by a double execution.... _And_ _I only got killed off as a shock factor!! _What an unpredictable twist!! But nonetheless, this host can't be killed that easily!! After all, you can't go around without ensuring a safety copy of yourself on stand-by mode!!"

"Th-They did all of that for nothing then...." Hiroshi fell to his knees. "_They endured the pain for what_....?"

"They were still fighting for their life.... even when they're approaching death's door....." Hibiki let her tears fall freely. "... They used all of their strength to even fight back Monomyou at the end...."

"...._ Which is why we can't give up_....." My head snapped upwards, I refused to keep looking down on my feet when the situation gets too heavy for me to bear it. "They proved it themselves, didn't they? They don't want to give into whatever Monomyou do to make us drowned in _**despair**_.... No, screw that. **_This isn't about despair or anything_**.... The real reason why this trial even happened... was because Rei and whoever the fuck sided with him thinks that _we can't handle the truth_....."

"Nyahahaha!! It does seem like that, doesn't it, Mr. Designer!?" the host chuckles. "After all, to find out the truth could only lead you all to despair is the most satisfying result for this host here!! Who knows,_** maybe the truth behind your stolen school memories and the graduation incident may result in a more despairingly disaster route**!!_"

"You...!"

"Unfortunately, my fun was cut short...!" Monomyou wallowed in sadness. "That pest hijacked most of my controls around this place and even ruined my own plans to lead you all into the final stage! But... _this might have gotten more interesting thanks to that pest's interference as well_.... _after all, **that person might need to come into terms with themselves**_...."

"That person..." I don't know why I even thought of it the second time, I know exactly who they're referring to. Looking around trying to find the investigator, I found her still on her knees, eyes glued onto the monitor, still showing the aftermath of the executions. She... _hasn't move or anything_.

"S-Sumi....?" Was Shoma really telling the truth? That Sumire, the person who tried her best to lead us ahead into a path of righteousness, is part of _the **Ultimate Despair**? **She**'s the person that Nao idolizes...? The same person that Rei... desperately tried to get rid of? All of that still doesn't make sense to us. _"H-Hey, Su-"

I reached out to her, barely even touching her shoulder as she aggressively swatted my hand away, stepping backwards as she stood up in the process, "_**Don't touch me**!!_"

_She snapped._

_This is the first time we witnessed her snapped in pure rage_.

Her eyes widened once her senses came back to her, "I...I......." and just like that, _she left the trial room immediately without sparing a glance back at us_.

"Nyahaha.... guess she, herself, couldn't accept the truth as well!!" the host remarked. "Now... I wonder what my dear guests will do with her being revealed as the_ **Ultimate Despair**?** Would you cornered her and finally kill the root of all evil?**_ _Orrrrr_..... maybe you can still find the goodness in her heart that's still lying dormant and waiting to be opened up? _I can't wait to see the results of this next act!!_"

Without bothering to reply with a snarky comment, we went ahead and tried to go look for her, _we have more pressing matters to focused rather than to argue with a stuffed toy_.

.....

The elevator opened up and I was the first ahead, "_I have a feeling she will be in her room at this time_...." 

"H-Her room...? Why?" Hiroshi asked, confused. "I-If anything... she would hide out in other places like... _that person did when he got caught_...."

"_**She's not like him**_....." I replied. "Plus.... with how Shoma talked to Taiga about this '_certain request by Rei_', he must have left something for Sumi to find....."

That's right, the moment I stepped outside of my room when the explosions happened, I immediately felt like something's off. And it's something as minor as _witnessing Taiga leaving from Sumi's room without noticing it_. "If she's not there then.... _we might have to check her room just in case_....."

Without any words, the three of us went ahead for the luxury hotel. Three of us. Along with the investigator, _there's four of us left_. And at this point, we only figured out the _**identity of the mastermind **_and the _**Ultimate Despair**_ themselves..._** to be one of our own instead**_. 

_'Sumi... didn't have her memories right....? I-If she's the mastermind then why couldn't she remember anything before entering here? In fact, if Rei was the fake player and said to be working for the mastermind.... why is he the only one who remembered instead and ended up trying to kill Sumi...? Even if that's the truth like Shoma said.... **something's clearly wrong here**.....'_

The elevator ride to the second floor of the hotel was quiet, up until when the door opened as we hurriedly approached Sumi's room... _and discovered her door to be opened_. "This...." Hibiki closes her eyes as she exhaled a deep breath, "... _I will be going in first_...."

With her close relations with the investigator in mind, Hiroshi and I didn't protest. The singer went in with heavy steps, slowly approaching the crying figure on the bed, curled up into a ball as she buried her face into her arms, "_Sumi_....?"

"...._ Rei should have killed me_...." The moment the abseiler and I heard that, we went inside the room to hear the rest of that sentence more clearly. "... If he knew I was behind all of this.... then he should have done the deed...._ I would have happily let him kill me_......."

".... _That's enough_..." I sat down on the bed, slowly caressing her head with my right hand. "... Rei has his reasons to chose not to do that... if he did then he will be killed for nothing and the remaining of us will get trapped in this killing with no answers that could helped us escape.... and even if he did..... _guess I can't ever let this fucking idea out of my head but_..... _he probably cares about you a lot more than we all first thought_...."

"This again.. I don't get it.... _**I don't understand**_....."

_I don't get it? I don't understand?_ What is there for her to not understand such a basic emotional connection? Is she really in denial that someone had thought of her that intimately? Why the hell she's so adamant to see herself so poorly?

"... Rei must have thought that by killing you, it wouldn't solve the mystery behind our imprisonment here..." Hibiki added. "... Or maybe, _**he wants you specifically to find out why you planned all of this in the first place**_....."

"..... Even if I do that.... would you still believe in me even when we found out why?" Sumi asked. "... I may be a different person before I entered this killing game after all..._. are you all fine with putting that much faith in me just for that truth_...?"

"The truth that we already knew so far is that_** you're our classmate**_. _**You and Rei were investigating the missing student's case**_ and then _**something happened to us during the graduation incident**_...." Hiroshi recalled back the past clue we've found so far. "There's a gap there that we need to find... _to solve this killing game mystery_....." 

"And we know that you can't do it alone..." I stood up. "Like Shoma said.... _**you don't have to shoulder that burden alone**_. We will help you, _no matter who or what you are_...._** you're still our friend here who we know and love, Sumi**_...."

"..... _Thank you_....." I never seen her cry this much before. She..... _finally let down her defenses_ _completely in front of everyone_. _To finally get mad at someone, finally cry from pain and finally be grateful to have friends around, _she's still learning about herself as well. She slowly stood up from the bed, with some sort of device I've never seen before in her hands that looked like some sort of radio?_ Is that the thing Taiga supposedly left for her...?_

"Everyone.... if what Shou-chin said is the truth... then...._ I can only came up with this possibility that..... I know everyone would hate_.... and it's a way to get Monomyou to reveal the person controlling them...." she wiped away her tears and put on a determined look. "..... _**I will have to regain back my memories as an Ultimate Despair**_....."

....

.......

.....

<strike> _ **"Ah, finally, I'm being remembered....."** _ </strike>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a Chapter 0 coming up in two days! (I actually wrote it out before completing Chapter 5) but I may have to double check some stuffs for the upcoming Chapter 6 as well!  
Anyways.... this happened.... So Sumi turned out to be the main antagonist to the cast instead, huh.


	35. Chapter Null: Sub Rosa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A story that has been told from when the first blood was shed, may I awake from my deep slumber when my curse has been cast...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a short one as usual but I'm not gotta put in who said what because it's quite obvious by now wwww

"**Checkmate**...."

_"Ahhh, I got cornered once again! I really don't want to continue just to declared myself as the loser here...."_

"Ehhh... you're so boring. You're really boring, I wish _that guy_ is here right now. At least _he _put up a fight even when he's in a tight pinch! Ah, well, I can already tell you're gonna lose the moment you moved your second chess piece, you're really terrible at this game!"

_"I, unfortunately, value my dignity so I'm not gonna continue this game, thank you very much. So these are the people you chose, huh? You've lessened the your pick as well.... **Hanabusa Hinako**.....** Ishimoto Nao**.... **Sekiguchi Amane**.... huh, **Yoshimune Taiga**, as well? What a very delicate choice of participants....."_

"I've been working on that for a few months already so don't go complaining to me now! You've caused me a lot of trouble for too long already, there shouldn't be any delay this time...."

_"Of course, I can't be greedy about your decision. After all, I'm often called a fair man when it comes to this kind of partnership! So including yourself and then altogether, **there are five people**. You even left out those two people at the very last minute as well...."_

"I made too many revisions because of those two, they've been a nuisance to me lately as well as that **_Future Foundation_** and **_Hope's Peak Academy_**. It's hard enough to keep a low profile without alerting any of them. Of course, I made plenty more of those changes _because of you, mostly, as well_...."

_"Now, now.... you don't have to get mad at me for **that**. I'm only a middle man after all! But I'm quite surprised you made it this far...."_

"I'm surprised as well. I never thought I would still be alive at this point. I thought I would be mysteriously killed off in the process but, alas, my calculations unfortunately came true and I'm just an idiot for ignoring that possibility!"

_"Amazingly wrong and misjudged, that's so unlike you, you truly are a demonic entity, **magnificently** similar to what those newspapers said! I would really like to thank **that person** for letting me know about your existence... this would have been a failure if I ignored him at first..."_

"_**What a rotten luck**_. But... I'm not going to be mad at him, he's just a newbie after all. He hardly believes all of this happened merely a year ago. Although, thanks to my interference, all of those things went under his radar and he didn't realized it. Ahahaha, what an amazing supernatural ability I have obtained from a few months ago!"

_"I have received the results from that day as well. I'm quite curious about it right now and if you don't mind me asking; what are you right now?"_

"What? Are you going senile already? I already told you, I'm _'nothing'_, I have _no identity_ after all! I find no identity in _my own name_, _my talent_ or _even with those people as well_. Everyone sees me whatever fits their ideal.... _their friend, sibling, student, someone else's child!_ I tried my best to act it all out as I'm willing to fool everyone till I'm satisfied!"

_"A wonderful thought of yours! Absolutely horrendous as well! To easily throw yourself away like that is** truly magnificent**!"_

"Are you even human for saying that? Well, I don't really care what you think. After all, you're more of an overseer now, aren't you? Now that I've done my part of the deal, it's now your turn to do yours....."

_"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed in me!! After all, I tried my hardest to please the **Ultimate Despair**! They've been observing me very closely!!"_

"And I hope you kept your words.... _because if you don't_. _**I will be the one who will kill you**_. I will kill you to my heart's content. I will severe your body parts and then scatter them all over the region....."

_"..... That's a joke, isn't it?"_

"Of course, it is. Do you really think I will make that much effort for someone as uninteresting like you? You're just a bystander pulling the strings. You're no where even better than me. Alright! That's enough venting, that took a lot to get it out instead! Although it's a minor thing to say, _I'm quite excited to see what kind of play will you set up with these people_....."

"_You've been watching them, isn't that right? You've been slowly observing their actions this whole time! You're truly a terrifying entity!_"

"That's a secret I would like to keep it with me till death. I'm more interested in seeing the consequences and the end results of this play. _As someone who will be witnessing everything unfolding up-close, please don't disappoint me or else you will regret it...._"

_"Hahaha, I wouldn't dare.... I better take my leave..... it seems someone is outside waiting. If I linger here for too long, I will surely get killed by them! Alright then, farewell, until our next meeting!"_

****

**********

*****

"You've been eavesdropping again? You've becoming more of a busybody lately. That's really annoying, you know? Anyways, how was it? Did I managed to act like a villain for once? ...... Don't make that kind of face, you know this is the end of the deal. Well, not like you would understand it anyways...."

"......."

"_Haah?_ Giving me that silent treatment, are you? What are you, a little kid? You can try and convince me that this will end terribly. Ease your worries, _this is the only possibility that I'm willing to accept after all_....."

"......."

"What? You're still angry at me? _**It's a perfect end to this little story of the tragic Ultimate Academy's darkest history**_. And you said so yourself that_ you wanted to live_. I've already given you that opportunity before and yet you still desperately crawl back here for redemption. I've tailored this ending that would make everyone content with it so _you have no rights to say that you're not happy_...."

"......."

"Really? You're going to be like this the whole time? You're so emotionally annoying. Well, it's your own fault for being here,_ valiantly sacrificing your normalcy for a case that will be done behind locked doors_. You've caused me a lot of trouble and so as punishment, you will be handling all of this _by yourself_....."

"_I've been preparing other things for that_...."

"Ah, are you now? That's good! It was a last minute change as well!! And you finally talk! I thought you've gone mute while I wasn't looking!! Now then, the script is now set and the cast is ready to perform! Just don't be too heartbroken when you soon see me stepping through the front entrance of _that place!! _After all, there's so much I can do while I'm in a tight pinch!"

_"And you're okay with this outcome?"_

"How could a small price of life be anywhere near as devastating as the rescued lives of many other students? Everything has come to this very moment. But if you want to run away like a coward you always have been, then you may try and do so. _**You **and **Nara **weren't supposed to be included in this planning after all_...."

"_I will do it_..."

"There you go, _being a self-appointed hero like a fool_. Don't you dare forget! _You will have a slight chance of failure as well!_ Although, I'm not going to be the one talking down on you like that, I'm getting tired for holding onto that position for too long now. That will be _**that person****'s**_ job. Truth to be told, I have no hope for this to end the way I wanted to but... Oh well, it's not like it's really that important,**_ what's meant to happen, will happen after all!_**_"_

".........."

"Don't have any more complaints to throw at my face now? Good! Then you should get your ass out of this place already if you don't want the staff here to forcefully kick you out. These ward rooms have very aggressive caretakers!! Shoo, off you go!!"

"......."

"_Goodnight_, _**Oshiro Eiichi**._"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want everyone to remember that Chapter 5 is basically Rei going "lol fuck no" at Monomyou's despair plans and the rest of the cast's plan to survive by literally sabotaging both at the same time and that's really something.  
One last chapter and these characters aRE STILL NOT READY FOR IT.


	36. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "An eye from the outside that joined the rest, six participants will go against the rules...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- stares far into the distance-  
"Is this actually a murder mystery story or a conspiracy story..."
> 
> Also, Chapter 6 will be entirely from Higura's P.O.V because REASONS  
(Also... Higura really is sort of the main secondary character after Chapter 2 wwww)

"..... _**I will have to regain back my memories as an Ultimate Despair**_....."

I thought I have become accustomed to hearing ridiculous shit so far in this killing game, _but this particularly really blew us away by how insane it sounds_. "_R-Regain back your memories!?_ Wait a second!! Why the hell would you want to do that!? Doesn't that mean you're gonna go psycho on all of us if you did!?"

Hibiki and Hiroshi are also stunned by what Sumire's proposing, and I can see they're really against the idea as well. After all, our main enemy here is the supposed _**mastermind **_and _**Ultimate Despair **_.... both which is _**Sumire**_ herself. So _if she regained back those memories_.....

"It's..... _risky I know_..... but...." with her puffy eyes, she stared down at the weird radio thing in her hands. ".... _**There's no other way to end this killing game**_. If our memories play a huge role in this, then we need to do anything we can to get them back... but if it means I have to revert back to... _whoever I was before_...."

"I-I sincerely hope that you weren't some kind of a mad tyrant before this but...." Hibiki commented with a sense of nervousness in her tone. "..... Ah... this is too difficult.... All of us haven't really fully accept Taiga and Shoma' deaths and _now there's this_...... it's one thing to leave us with the truth to face but it's also another thing for us to even try and process this entire thing as cohesive as we can...."

"Y-Yeah, to find out you're behind all of this is _really_...." Hiroshi didn't finish that line. "N-never mind, I will be just echoing what everyone's saying anyways but still-!!! If Rei's telling the truth waaaaay before this then _this Ultimate Despair gimmick is no joke!! _You might even murder us before we-!"

"I won't do that!!" Sumire's head snapped upwards as she replied hastily. Due to her sudden action, she retract back her statement, "I-I mean.... _I won't let myself do that_.... If anything happened and it would lead to that _then_...."

"_We will snap you of that crazy despair shit_, that's for sure....." I cut in immediately, seeing how she's leaning onto a more depressing answer for us to hear and I'm not gonna let that happened. "This sort of shit is like that _'two people in one body'_ situation, isn't it? _**We will beat the shit out of you if we have to**_...."

"That's a bit much......" she joked with a smile, ".... _but I will be counting on you all to do that anyways_....."

"But... how are we gonna get back our memories...? It doesn't look like Monomyou would allowed us to do that since-" Hibiki abruptly stopped midway. When Hiroshi asked her what's wrong, she shushed him, "_Someone's by the door_....."

Sumire immediately placed the radio thing down as she had her hand on the holster by her side, "_It could be Monomyou_...... maybe they decided they had enough with us ruining their plans or something...."

"Don't tell me that furfuck is going to kill us all in this room-!!" Something suddenly broke down the door, making all of us jumped by the heavy impact and noise. "What the fuck!?"

And what stood in the hallway was Monomyou...... _but the one that got shot during Taiga and Shoma' execution_. It waddled its way to our circle, almost comically.

"W-What is this....." Sumire looked confused but still with her hand on the gun as she kneels down. "H-Hey, what is this...? Is this some kind of a joke? _**We will throw you out of the window if you're messing with us right now**_...."

"Something's wrong....." Hibiki covered her ears, ".... I'm hearing some weird static stuff coming from that thing..... it's..._ receiving some sort of feedback?_"

"Why would furfuck have difficulty being controlled here, they did flawlessly when a newer version of him appeared out of nowhere-"

"_Ah!...Ah!! Test, testing!!_" A new, different yet distorted voice came out of the broken cat host. "_Alrighty, seeing everyone's surprised faces mean that the audio is a-okay! Ah, I can see everyone's faces so clearly now, this technology is amazing! Hi-hi, Sumi and Hira! It's been a while!!_"

"W-Who the hell...." Both of us asked. "Who are you and how do you know us....?" Sumi went ahead with hers.

"_Ah, memory wipe! I forgot, I forgot! This Nara always forgot such important things!!_" Did she called herself _'Nara'_? Isn't _Nara_......"_Ehhh, identification is** Katou Nara**, the **Ultimate Hacker**! It's nice to meet everyone again!!_"

_**Katou Nara**_, the third mystery student who transferred from Hope's Peak Academy with Sumire and Eiichi, _is the one controlling Monomyou right now?_ But _from where?_ "Again...? Hey, I don't know what the hell you mean but this is the first time we even heard of you...."

"_Huuuuh? But Nara has been everyone's classmate for **a year **already?_" So she's part of our class and that hermit thing has to be false, we must have been really close then. "_Of course, Nara has been **absent for her second year** since she fell into a coma!_"

"Com-!? _Excuse me!?_" Hibiki demanded. "W-Wait, should we really easily trust this person?! Without our memories, there's no way we could know if this is truly that _Katou Nara_, right?"

We can hear Nara humming to herself, thinking of another way to clearly prove she's the real deal, "_Then how about Nara reveal the most personal secret from Hira and Sumi! Okay then, here she go! Sumi likes horror-cutesy mascots and Hira is technically an uncle right now! He has been promoted!!_"

"Who the fuck told you that!?" I won't denied, that's not a lie and nobody outside my family would know that at all! If there's one thing I don't want everyone in the world to know, that will be about my family and their inside problems. "Y-You probably got them from those media tabloids or something!!"

"A-Ah... that secret....." Sumi, what's with that blush? _Are you seriously getting embarrassed over such a minor fucking thing?!_ "I would never reveal that to anyone else so easily....." _That you're a mascot horror fan!?_

"_Hehe! Sumi is quite shy about sharing her interests publicly so Eiichi and Nara always listened to what she said about them!! Ah, Eiichi!! Where's Eiichi? Nara wanna take a closer look at him and try taser him with this robot thing!!_"

She's... talking about Rei, right? Does she know that he's actually not Eiichi? The three of us weren't too sure about answering her question so Sumire decided to take it, "Sorry but.... _Eiichi is no longer here_......"

There was a slight pause at first, "_Ah, he actually did it, huh. Guess the plan didn't work too well, Sumi? Nara was getting excited to see him since she can now breach into this place's system but... he must have someone else do it for him...._."

"So you knew he wasn't just a lucky student?" the investigator asked further. "And what you mean by plan? I don't.... really have my school memories...."

"_Rather than knowing about it, it is exactly his true talent after all. Sumi and Nara acknowledged that earlier before entering the academy. After all, **Sumi is the one who gave him that identity**_....."

Wait, _what?_ She's the one who gave Rei the _Ultimate Lucky Student_ title instead? Not by any of the school's orders? "What do you mean by that? More importantly... and I will fucking break this thing if you lied so.... _is Sumire really the **Ultimate Despair** here?_"

"...._ Nara don't really remember_....." it sounds like she wasn't too sure about it. "_Nara isn't present during her second year so she can't really answer that.... however, what's the absolute truth is that Eiichi, Sumi and Nara were supposed to **track down the Ultimate Despair that was lurking in Yumeino Ultimate Academy**_....."

"... I see... thank you, Nara...." Sumire patted the cat robot's head. "That's all I wanted to hear... from your side and Eiichi's as well. I wasn't too sure of myself on how to regained those memories back but.... _I think we can depend on Eiichi's work for this_...."

Without a word, she went to pick up the radio thing again and starts to turn the knobs around, whites noises filled the room until we can clearly hear a voice beneath all of that, "_One, two, three! One, two, three! This is the Ultimate Conman's radio show- Just kidding, this is a test! Is this really on?_"

It's Rei's playful voice. I felt at ease for some reason hearing that instead of being alarmed or anything.

"_Mhn! It picked up my voice, that's good!! This thing is really handy!! **Well then**_......" His playful tone dropped at the last two words, a more deep and serious one replaced it instead. "... _Whoever is listening to this now, well, I hope you're someone who's willing to listen to what I will be relaying to you, after what I've done. I may be the **fake player** but it doesn't mean I'm obliged to help Monomyou to carry out their deeds_....."

That's one theory down; _he doesn't want to help Monomyou at all_. Hibiki, Hiroshi and I leaned in closer to hear the rest of the sentence;

"_This thing doesn't really allowed long recorded messages so I will just cut to the chase. Yes, **Sumire really is the Ultimate Despair**, there's no use in denying that. No,** I didn't intend to start those murders**, rather I tried to stop them but I didn't managed to do it. And no,** I didn't set three places on fire just for a scare**. If you remembered **the secret room in the passageway** then... you will find your answers there_....."

The secret room in the passageway, Monomyou called that **_the seeker room_** during his investigation. With that, a thought crossed my mind; _did he purposely lead us all into the passageway so that we become aware of that room's existence? _If that room really holds the truth then....

"_Ah, one more thing, and I hope Nara and Sumi is here in the same room_...." the hacker-controlled Monomyou made its way to Sumi's side and sat on her lap, the investigator held her closer. A small laugh was heard for a second, "_I'm sorry, I screwed up. I really fucked up everything we've sacrificed so far. So, this is my final resort. I don't know if you two remembered it by now but you're right_,**_ I'm just a coward_**._ I ended up depending on you two to fix my mistakes like always. Hey, Sumi, you always know what to do and what's best for everyone else, right? **Don't hesitate to do the same in the end**_.... **_Goodbye_**...."

With that final word, all noises ceased. I can hear everyone's steady breathing, _'Even in the end, he's trying to help us. That idiot. If only he could come up with normal ideas to do it instead but.... whatever, we're not wasting anyone's effort!' _"He purposely left behind a lot of clues for us to find, that bastard. Say, Sumi... what do you think we should do?"

".... The way he said about the seeker room..._ but Monomyou prohibited any entry like that administrator room_...." Sumi pointed out. "That seeker room itself looks like they're locked with certain keys so......"

"_Ah-ha, it's that kind of system? Nara can't really break that kind of door open so **three physical keys** are needed for that door_...." the controlled-Monomyou wiggled out from Sumire's embrace. "_Honestly, that Eiichi! Nara want so badly to screw his eyes into their sockets!!_"

These three must have been really close friends to have those kind of morbid jokes_,_ "What's worrying here is that we're playing against Monomyou's rules so in another words..._ we're gonna get fucked up by that furfuck still_...."

"Umm... wait a minute...." Hiroshi looked around. "If Nara is here... _wouldn't that alert Monomyou_....? There's a breach in security so they could have showed themselves by now to eliminate the threat?"

"_Have faith in Nara's work! Because** Nara herself made that thing**, Nara knows the weak points of that creation!! Although, Nara is surprised to find unauthorised programs and controls being installed into that thing so as punishment, Nara deliberately made Monomyou's children to go haywire right now!"_

"Wouldn't that mean during the day of that play...." Hibiki must have been talking about that _Faust_ play. ".. That was your doing for making Monomyou so busy with those Mini-myous...?"

"_That was a test run but Nara must have freaked everyone out if Biki remembered that, sorry!!_" the hacker sheepishly apologised. "_Nara was still in recovery from her coma because she hasn't done anything technical for almost a year!_"

_In coma for a year_. What the fuck happened during our school years? She wasn't there during the graduation as well so we can't get any answers out of that, then all that's left is....

"Right, we might need to plan ahead some things...." stated Sumire. "If we went ahead to check on those three locations... no doubt we will get surrounded by Monomyou and their automaton soldiers... can you do anything to put those things down at your side, Nara?"

"_Ah, ah, those things? Nara can only shut those down briefly but Monomyou still have the power to repeated kick out any commands!_"

"Hold on, can't you just hacked into Monomyou themselves and find out who's the person controlling them anyways?" Hiroshi asked. "If you can do this to the old one then the new one wouldn't make a whole lot of difference, right?"

"_Nara purposely make this one a lot weaker so knowledge about the newer version is really unknown to me. The reason why Nara took so long to join everyone was to wait for Eiichi to give me access!! From the looks of everyone present... a lot of people are gone while Nara isn't around, huh..."_

"Yes.... Monomyou's motives gotten the best of them...." Sumire said solemnly. "Sorry, we tried our best to not get it into their heads but...."

"... _What's done has been done_...." I reminded her. Sumire immediately shuts her mouth and nodded slowly. "Say, Nara? This is an off-topic question but what the hell is the_** Yumeino Ultimate Academy **_really? We know they're related to Hope's Peak Academy and all but what kind of academy is it to even managed to build a fucking luxury hotel?"

"_Eh? You're asking me that, Hira? That's a surprise! **Yumeino Ultimate Academy has been disassociated from Hope's Peak Academy** **for a long time now** and **is considered to be a conglomerate of businesses set up by their previous graduates**! While also serving as an education facility with system akin to any other vocational school, **the hospitality thing is part of the academy's business circle** **as well**!! Hira, I thought you would know about that since your family and Mare's as well are well part of that circle!"_

_The Takara family _as well? I know my family are well-known in the entertainment side of things but for them to be closely associated with Homare's family and the academy themselves.... _why the hell did I not remembered that then?_

"So that's why they can afford to build such an inexpensive hotel.... _but it was destroyed in that incident_, right?" Hibiki asked. _That's right, I almost forgot that the real hotel was destroyed in an explosion as well_.

"_Yup! When Nara woke up, she was told all of her friends went missing!! It shocked Nara to death once again!! But good luck has joined this cute deer's side once again and Nara managed to find everyone at least!!_"

Well,_ not everyone_, but fuck does she sound too optimistic and I so badly don't want to crushed that side of hers. "You said_ 'missing'_ so they've been searching for us?"

"Thank fucking god, they didn't really forget about us at all!!" Hiroshi collapsed onto the bed behind him out of relief. "But...._ where the hell are we exactly_...."

"_Who knows?_" the hacker shrugged through Monomyou. "_For all Nara what knows, everyone might be in some sort of underwater facility! Shou might have noticed something off!_"

"_**Hey, we can clearly see the sky from where we are**_....." I reminded them. But Shoma? He did said the breeze felt different here. "Anyways, the plan, right, that, before we trailed off again!"

"I sort of have an idea but-"

"_Is it something ridiculous and risky-worthy?_"

"Yes, _unfortunately_...." Sumire sighed she ushered me close and away from others. "That thing would only cooperate with us if we play their game so like last time... I guess we have to do some made-up game to keep that feline off our backs...."

"You mean like _that trial thing to discover the mastermind's true identity?_" Now saying that, it sounds really weird now knowing who Sumire actually is. "Would they even listened to you to came up with another game?"

"Ahh, remember what I promised Monomyou back then..._ we said we will play his game** if we take down Rei**_...." Sumire smirked. ".. _But I never specifically mentioned **in what way or that he was needed for the trial either**_....."

_That.** Holy shit**. I forgot that the exchange just mentioned **about stopping Rei and hosting the class trial about the person behind Monomyou**._ "... Then the deal is still on!" Monomyou didn't even mentioned about putting off the deal either! "Still... you know what that fucker will do, right? He will follow along until he screwed us over just so he can win....."

"_That's why_......" She whispered the rest of details besides my ears, and the details.... _**is fucking unbelievable**_. "... _You okay with that?_"

".... You have no idea how badly I wanted to punch you face right now..." I raised my fist threateningly near her face. "But fine! At least I can agree with this and for once, you're not the only one in trouble!!"

"_You said you guys will help me_..."

"_**Not in this fucking way, Sumi**_...."

"Hey, what are you guys talking about-" I immediately stood up and braced myself to say this;

"Alright!! We will immediately move out and talked to Monomyou!!" I declared. "No buts or ifs! We need to go right now and get lured that furfuck out!! Nara, you know how to do that if he didn't, right?"

"_Yes, sir!! Nara knows a million different ways to annoyed people out of their hiding!! Leave it to Nara to taser that evil Monomyou out of their room!! Unsure if that person put Nara into a deep sleep but they will be severely punished _♥️ "

The broken-looking Monomyou immediately left the room all by itself, followed by Hibiki and Hiroshi behind them.

Now, it's just the two of us, two most idiotic people in the group, probably, "Is it really wise to trust that shit? We didn't even have some solid confirmation that it's really Nara that we're talking to....."

"Have faith... I have a feeling that it really is her...." 

"_Why and how?_"

"Somewhat _instinctual_....." That's not an answer I'm looking for but close enough! "Besides, for her to know about the Ultimate Spy and I so much, _there's no doubt this is really the Ultimate Hacker herself_....."

But her involvement in creating Monomyou (she said so herself) still makes me wary about this whole thing, _doesn't that mean she has a part in this despair plan as well?_ Then again, Eiichi or the Ultimate Spy was also involved in this, _'What's going on here exactly? Not only are we playing into Monomyou's hand again... we still don't know what the hell was that plan that Nara talked about? What the hell did those three do during those academy years?'_

"About the plan.... are you sure you wanted to go along with it?" Sumire asked worryingly. "You don't have to... I've caused enough trouble for everyone-"

"_Chop!!_" I swiftly delivered a karate chop to the investigator's head, catching her off-guard. Right after she recovered, I decided to do my best impression of_ certain people_, " _'Shino is soooo annoying!! That kind of sentiment makes me wanna puke! Also, this critter would not accept such burden to be carried alone! If you do that, the spirits of our past friends will curse you in the afterlife!!'_ "

I can see her eyes widened, before slowly psyching herself up once again, "Alright, I'm not.. I'm not gonna back down on this now!! One way or another, we will unmasked whoever's controlling Monomyou, _even if I have cut off my own hands to do it!_"

"_**No, that's too much of a promise, isn't it?**_" She didn't say anything about that, instead she went ahead with a newfound determination.

_'I didn't expect that kind of energy but.... it's more better than before.... I guess it really is our answer here, never giving up and pushing forward with a positive outlook.... I can't agree that much on the last one but I guess you're kind of right, huh, **Mitsun**?'_

* * *

_'They actually got them out- Crap, Monomyou is with those soldiers!' _I cursed internally the moment Sumire and I caught sight of the other with the real Monomyou and being surrounded by those automaton soldiers, "Hey, furfuck, you better stop whatever the hell you're doing!"

"Huuuh? Still dissing me even when your friends' life is in danger here!?" Monomyou fumed, stomping their feet around. "This host is hurt and crushed!! To think my beautiful, magnificent guests sided with such a savage from the outside!! Even this adorable host came here to aid their guests out of trouble!!"

"_Who are you calling a 'savage'!? Nara will rip you apart and then bury your consciousness underground to decompose!!_" the hacker-controlled-Monomyou bites back.

_Okay, side-by-side comparison, I can see how Monomyou is related to Nara_. "Just hoooold on a minute, will you two!? Don't be too trigger happy since Sumi here has something else to discuss with Monomyou!!"

_"Eh? Discussion? Which mean Nara won't be able to pulverise this weak-excuse of a mimic?" _Sumire ensured the hacker that her time will come as the broken Mononmyou stay put for now.

"Monomyou... I'm sure you're here for.... _something else_....." the investigator glances at the automaton soldiers briefly. "However... there's something else I want to talk to you about.... _**the deal**_....."

"Huh!? _That deal!? _Why the hell are you bring that up nyaow!?"

"Well, if I recalled perfectly..." Sumire pondered around. "The deal was that _**we take down Rei and we will have the class trial to uncover the identity of the person controlling you**_. After all, there are no specifications that he must be taken down _dead or alive_ and that he must participate as well...."

"Nyargh!? A-As much as this host wanted to lie, this host did remembered such a promise and the details behind it!!" Monomyou admitted it. "S-So what? Even if you want to play that game, there's nothing else that could convinced this host!! There's nothing interesting about it!"

"Oh, really?" I stood by Sumire's side, held hands as we showed lifted our arms up. "Well here's the deal, furfuck, for some excitement to get you off during the class trial. It's that one thing that you keep messing with us endlessly; _**time limit motive**_. _How about **you put that NG Code Poisoning gimmick on** **both of us**? **The survivor** and **the Ultimate Despair** themselves?_"

"_Give us the time limit we needed to solve mystery behind this place and your identity_, if we managed to do all of that with time to spare then..." Sumire braced herself to say this. "_I want you to give my school memories back._ _If I'm really the mastermind behind all of this, **then it would only be a fair game that I acted like one for once and for you to step down once you've been figured out, you **_**_impostor_**...."

"Huuh? Huuuuuuh?" Monomyou, dare I say it, sounded _surprised_. "Y-You're kidding, right? That kind of offer is..... _**magnificently the best I've heard so far**!!!_ This host can see the combination so clearly!!! That designer brat has been helping you with investigations a lot lately so it's obvious he's representing the survivors!!! And to have the Ultimate Despair back into our loving arms.... _I'm not passing that shit up so** it's a deal**, my fellow guests!!_"

Out of nowhere, our hands were pushed forward as something metal clamped around our wrists, the same bracelet that Eiichi wore that killed him. We let go and inspected the said command on the bracelet, _'**Not able to solve the mystery within six hours!**'_

"_S-six hours?_ Fuck, is that enough, Sumi!?" If the timer starts now, then it has to include the investigation part as well.

"... _We will make it work_...." She doesn't look fazed by it. "We have to..... also, about the rooms that we weren't supposed to enter....."

"Nyahahaha!! Those are still off-limits but for now, I guess I can be a bit linear about the rules!!" the fucking cat laughed. "All of the places are free to investigate but I won't go easy _with unlocking the administrator and seeker rooms!! _They are in your hands whether or not you have a way to get through them!! The host won't bother helping or bothering you all for this investigation _so toodles'!!!_"

Right when that feline bastard disappeared, the automaton soldiers immediately turned off, crashing into the ground as they did. The other joined us after making sure everything's safe but.... _we got scolded instead_.

"_Are you two fucking insane!?_" Hiroshi furiously shook my whole body. "You're risking your life for that!? Surely you guys have a second plan that didn't involved this at all!!"

"N-No, this is the only thing I can think of..." Sumire defended herself with Hibiki overbearing her. "T-This is the only harmless way we could do things-"

"Harmless!? Your lives are at stake here!?" Hibiki furiously turned over to the hacker-controlled-Monomyou. "H-Hey, Nara!? Can you say something about this!? I'm sure you think this is ridiculous!"

She didn't say anything for a while, before the broken robot twitched a bit, "_Ah, sorry, Nara got a bit nostalgic for a moment there. Ahh, Sumire hasn't changed one bit even after experiencing those deaths. Nara is still disappointed that side of yours still sticks even after this whole memory wipe thing_...."

"E-Excuse me?" Sumire seems startled to hear that.

"_Nope, never mind this cute deer!!_" the hacker exclaimed. "_However, Nara can't do anything about the poison as it still counts as tampering and an attempt remove the thing! Too bad but the idea itself is fluid enough to worm our way through it!! So, Sumi and Hira, you have this Nara's support!_"

The heck's with that cryptic statement? Did... she confirmed that Sumire right now is still the same as before? Only worsened once she became_ the **Ultimate Despair**?_ '_No, she was in a coma, as fucking crazy that excuse is, during her second year **BEFORE **she even knew about Sumi becoming the Ultimate Despair and.....she said that her selflessness still stick even after experiencing her friends' death, **that's **the one thing they're not satisfied about? _

_'Then.. **what the hell was the Ultimate Private Investigator like before entering the Ultimate Academy**...?_'

"Hira-chin, are you alright?" Sumire waved a hand in front my face. "You're spacing out already, we need to start investigate immediately...."

I think, no matter what we said about her, with Nara's presence and words, it's becoming alarming to see that...._this probably_ _isn't the Sumire we knew during our time at the academy at all_, "Yeah, let's go... I have another plan in mind that could divide our search more efficiently....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -slams hands down-  
Y'all know this installment isn't enough to explain shit so unfortunately there will be another installment and BOY, those characters for the second installment are -chef's kiss- terrible :D


	37. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A different eye uncovers a different perspective of their impending end. Don't be fooled by the demon's twisted words...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick disclaimer; Because I'm a dumbass, any business terms used in this chapter are probably wrong so please forgive me for that.  
And yes, I switched the focus to Higura just to explain this mess of a chapter.

_"That **Genesis**, seriously.... they're being too demanding on us...."_

_"It can't be helped, can it? We are in the same circle, after all...."_

_"That doesn't mean shit if they keep- Ah, **Higura**.... you're still here..."_

_"Papa and Mama are just discussing some business matters, dearie. We know you don't like it if we bring up this during dinner so you can go on ahead, we will join you later..."_

"..........."

* * *

Back then, they always talked about it. _Always_. Like their lives depended on it. Why? Every since I got thrown into this shit-hole of a place, I keep getting that moment stuck in my head on a loop-

_"Hey, hey, Hira, why are we here? Nara thought everyone's supposed to look for clues at the places you mentioned?"_

"Yeah, just a minute, there's something that's been bugging the hell out of me....." I pushed that thought away once I heard that robotic voice. "... This won't take long so _hold your horses_...."

Even though the plan I suggested earlier has been our downfall _ever since the second murder, _with the time limit in mind, I split our search into three groups; Sumire and Hibiki to search the theater house, Hiroshi volunteered to search through the warehouse all by himself (with that threatening rope by his side, fucking hell,_ the context behind that_...) and Nara accompanying me to the bar area. But, there's one place that I wanted to thoroughly checked before I headed there (also the bar is close to the hotel which is why I decided to check there last).

_The library's archive_. Where we first discovered our first breakthrough of our stolen memories.

"I wanna ask you this, _Nara_...." Now I can properly corner this person, to make sure she's really the big deal here. "About the day everyone,_ the 50th Class_, disappeared.... was there any new reports about it or anything? That they claimed we were supposedly _'dead'?_"

_"Dead? Non! Nara read every articles that existed for the past few weeks! Every single paper said that Nara's friends have gone missing ever since the incident!!"_

I can only accept that as a verbal confession, not the truth or anything. Damn it, if only I have the amazing judgement senses that Sumi has. _Speaking of her_.... "Say, what do you mean by you're disappointed that Sumi's risking her life? What kind of friend would say that to someone who would valiantly gave up their life?"

_She's not alone on that one though, I would say the same thing if I wasn't included_.

_"Hmm, hmmm.... Nara is just surprised that she would still be that selfless. After all, Sumi has made too many close-calls in real-life so Nara though that memory wipe thing would delete that trait of hers!"_

"Too many close-calls?" She's an investigator, it makes sense. They risked their life plenty of times for their clients. "Ah- Found it!"

It's the stack of papers that Monomyou said they compiled just for us from the second motive; _all related to our past achievements as the Ultimate students_._ 'Mitsun's breakthroughs, Sakkun's records and even that Renma and Amane's recognition.... everyone is here but I'm just looking for...'_ "Huh? What the...?"

* * *

_**THE DEMON STRIKES AGAIN**!_

_**xx.xx.xx,** The head mobster that's been terrorizing local businesses for extortion has been taken down by the infamous protegee of the '**Private Eye of Justice**'!_

* * *

"_Private Eye of Justice...?_" I thought they were referring to Sumire when I read that but after the second take, they seemed to be referring to her mentor instead, _Hoshino Iwao_. "Then the protegee was _Sumire_.....? Why calling her a _'demon'_? What kind of title is that?"

_"Ah, that's the title she's been known for! Nara always see that title everywhere before entering the Ultimate Academy, the mysterious identity behind this demonic detective have always captivate everyone!!"_

_'Fucking hell, baiting your audience by purposely leave out the name is such a scummy move. I wonder what's her thoughts about this? Whatever, this **case report newspaper **provides little to nothing about her.....' _And with that aside, that's all I can find relating to her. But for them to choose that word, it's just confusing. What? Sumi is known for her aggressive tactics or something?

Amidst of all the mess I made, there's another set of papers that caught my eye, something related to the_** Yumeino Ultimate Academy**_. I tried to read through the passages carefully, taking in every single words with limited knowledge from what Nara told me, "... _**Keiretsu**_, huh? Makes sense how that academy operates now...."

_"Fufufufu! The businessman has activated his business-y powers!! Hira is evolving into a sensible adult!"_

"Hey, cut that shit out...." That's so embarrassing to hear from a '_stranger_' who would hear this lame-ass talk. "So they used that system still? After _**The Tragedy**_ ended? I guess I understand now why Yumeino Academy is on top of all these things...."

_This is a **horizontal Keiretsu**_, which means _**Yumeino Ultimate Academy is on top of other businesses that's under them**_; which is remarkable enough because it's usually the bank that's at the top. _To explain this system simply_, Homare's family is in charge of insurance which they provided to all the companies working under the academy as well as my family, even though they're entertainment-focused, helped others in promotions and advertisements.

_'They must have adopt this system after **The Tragedy** to help everyone recovering from that despair attack... having all these people under their control, there will be no hostile takeover in company's position or even sudden lost of demanded supply.... huh, what's this...?'_

There's one more company that I've never seen that much in public; _the **Genesis**_. A travel-tourism company that's high in hospitality for Yumeino Academy.

"Huh, this is the company that Papa and Mama talked about back then....." I wonder why were they so furious about them actually. It just said that the company just bought a micro-island off the coast of Japan for to create a tropical resort, '.... _This happened **a few years ago**, a little after The Tragedy ended_.... _c-could this be....?_'

"I'm gonna take this with me....." _**The Genesis's Resort Plan**_ has to be related to our situation here.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, we can head back to the bar now...." I guess making Nara and I searched the bar last might have been a good call; we're closer to seeker room after all.

_"Haha! Nara heard Hira calling Papa and Mama, and actually apologized for wasting other people's time as well! How beautifully adorable!"_

"_**I will fucking ground you**_...." I can see why these three would get along really well, these assholes.

* * *

Thankfully, Monomyou didn't do anything to the bar, no clean-up or anything. I'm feeling a bit light-headed right now, we really did Rei's trial and now the last trial probably with no breaks at all, _'Fucking hell, we really didn't thought this through.... hah, as if we even thought about it carefully....'_

"It's going to take more than an hour going through this mess....." I gritted my teeth as I observe the wooden remains of the bar. "Hey, Nara.. don't you have like a system to scan through the surroundings? Surely you must have put in something useful in this piece of garbage..."

_"Don't be rude of calling Nara's creation just a piece of garbage!!"_ The robot wiggled their way out._ "Of course Nara would put in such an important function!! Nara also put in heat detectors, sound enhancer and screeching function!!"_

"Yeah, _one of them is completely unnecessary_...." She's so... _cheerful_ at a time like this. Nara's trespassing into an enemy's territory with no worry about getting cut off or anything... _hell, our enemies could potentially be outside of this hellhole and right around her area_. Nevertheless, I _kinda _trust her intentions for now. "Did you find it-"

"Found it!!" They seemed to be holding some emerald and diamond-shaped artifact with a pink jewel resided in the middle, I did recall that the Seeker Room has that diamond-shaped slots and there's three of them.

_'Near the backroom area, huh.....' _I wonder... if the Seeker Room is going to be that much of a deal. That negative thought was instantly discarded the moment I heard other footsteps.

"We've found the rest of the keys....." Sumire held out two similar diamond-shaped objects with blue and green gems respectively. "There wasn't anything new at the theater house... it's still the same as before....."

"But I found it odd that the key was near the backroom of the warehouse that was supposed to be locked...." Hiroshi commented that strange placement. "The backroom also leads to the secret passageway as well...."

"Didn't Sumi, Taiga and Rei went ahead to investigate that place together? You know, after that bastard got sick or whatever??" The investigator nodded. _'Makes sense if that's when the lock to the backroom was broken off.... I mean, Mitsun did went to the warehouse right after they started investigated the place. Rei unintentionally made a route for her...."_

Sumire looked at her bracelet with a disgruntled look, "Almost an hour gone by, we need to opened up that room right now...."

I agree, _I would like to not die during an investigation because that's the shittiest way to go and we're this close to freedom_. We can finally know what the hell is going on behind that room, ever since Rei forced into some wild goose chase. _'Just what on earth is in there.... that made him lead us to it?'_

We all went down the passageway in group of twos (I was holding the controlled-Monomyou because they're so fucking slow) until we made our way to the Seeker Room. Hiroshi was the one to place the three physical keys onto the door until all of the lightened up and the metal door just opened up like that.

"W-Well... for a mysterious door... I was expecting some kind of dramatic entrance or at least smoke coming out of it...." Hiroshi coughed. "At least, nothing dangerous popped out...."

"_Don't jinx it_...." Hibiki warned as she stepped inside first, an audible gasp was heard from her. "_W-what the hell are these things...?_"

The four of us followed behind her, trying to catch a glimpse of what she saw and what was in the room.... was a bunch of some sort of **containment units**, _like big glass capsule made to keep a human in_. The walls, floors and even ceiling was decorated in black and white concrete walls, everything is in just monochrome with no speck of life. _But what really caught our attention is those sixteen capsules_.....

"W-What the fuck...?" I slowly let go of Nara as she observed the scene carefully. "This has been under us the whole time....?"

_Sixteen capsules_. _Sixteen students_. Were we.... _kept here for some time?_ How long were we taken in after that hotel incident!? Did the mastermind-

_'But the mastermind was revealed to be **Sumire**....'_ I consciously looked at the investigator who is just in shock as everyone else. _'If it's actually her, then there's no way she would faked that reaction. Even if she did, she wouldn't have gone so far as to erase her own memories.... she would have safely operate everything behind the screen.... right...?'_

All these evidences still lead to someone else being the mastermind, I can't really see why Sumire was also said to be one as well.

_"This is....."_ Nara's voice, even through distortion, sounded tense. _"Nara didn't think she would see this again....."_

"A-Again?" Sumire was quick to react. "What do you mean _'again'_? And where have you seen them, Nara?"

_"Hnngh... Nara can't really remember.... memories still too foggy but...... back then... **there's only one of these things before**.... b-but because Nara knew about this that.... **she was forced into a deep sleep**....."_

_She was caught. _There's no other way to explained that; she was simply caught looking into the some sick bastard's plan and that she went into a coma for a year. That's.... _so screwed up_, the fact that she survived that ordeal can almost be described as a miracle. I'm getting irritated now, _damn it_, just what happened to us during our academy years!?

I inspected closely on one of the capsule, it's really bigger than me and I can just easily slipped right into just to sleep, to escape from this shitty place and go to a much better place,_ 'Now's not the time for some bullshit happy fantasy... this.... this is still a live-or-die situation-'_

_"Nara will try to operate these things now!! Please stay back from the capsules everyone!!"_

That warning came too late, the moment I turned my head around with my hand still on the machine, the thing came back to life with a loud noise and sparks going through it... as it also hits me_ and then_...

_and then.._

.....

_I lost consciousness....._

* * *

_"Finally graduating.... thank goodness, we survived two years of hard-work and causing total chaos around the academy!!" Mitsuru jumped onto my back as she obnoxiously patted my shoulders. "Say, Mochi! What's your plan after this!! Still planning to be a hostile shut-in artist for the rest of your life?"_

_"I'm not a shut-in if I'm here physically, at least think about that before you throw that claim at me!!" I tried to shrug her off. This is... weird; it feels like I'm not there physically but that certainly is my voice. Is this.... my memory about the graduation....?_

_"Still as energetic as ever, you two....." Saku chuckles as he caught sight of us. "I'm getting sort of jealous, Mitsun, cheer me on for the future as well, you know!"_

_"Ohohoho! Cheeky of you to assumed I'm just Mochi's personal cheerleader!!" Mitsuru teased as she held her hands up, approaching the aerobat with a grinning face. "I know just what to cheer you up though!! Sakkun's sides are weak, right? It's time for a fun-time service from your truly!"_

_Saku immediately paled, "P-Please, anything but that!!"_

_Both of them ran off with Mitsuru closely gaining up on him. T-This is seriously different from the one... that Monomyou showed us after the third trial. So, this is the real one?_

_"Hey, you two!! Don't go causing any more trouble, seriously!!" Machi scolded at the pair. "Can't they a bit more mature for once?"_

_"Let them go, Macchan, it doesn't seem like they want to listened for once....." That voice... that's... **Oshiro Eiichi**. This is Rei before we even knew him as the **Ultimate Spy**. The stressed-out look of the Ultimate Lucky Student, hell, he actually changed his appearance that drastically, "You need to rest before you started to grow more white hairs, I can see some sticking out already...."_

_"For real!?" Machi yelped in pain once someone pulled said white hair strand from his head. "O-Ow! Give me a warning first, Sumi!"_

_'Sumi?'_

_"Sorry, sorry but seeing you fret over such a minor thing is really cute so I can't help but to tease you a bit more...." the investigator has that unfamiliar Cheshire-like grin on her face. "I can plucked out those hair strands for you if you want but you will surely become bald at the end of the process!"_

_"A-Are you planning to ruin my livelihood or something!?" Machi stepped backwards in horror. "I spent a lot of time taking care of my appearance, you know!?"_

_"Knock it off, Sumi...." Eiichi stopped her, with a disapproving look. "If you're going to threatened to bald someone, direct that threat towards Amane instead...."_

_"You know I'm right around your speaking radius, right?" Amane speak up, seemingly and miraculously halted his conversation with Hibiki to deliver a dirty look towards Eiichi. "To be insulted this close... this surely must have been a curse cast by God himself to spite me....."_

_"Good grief...." Hibiki just sighed as she shook her head at his reaction._

_"To have such a superiority complex that lasted for this long is truly amazing!" Hinako clapped her hands together with her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Amane's truly an amazing specimen for such complexity...."_

_"Still treating other people like experiments is a no-no...." Shoma pouted as he pinched the behaviorist's cheek. "That desire is only for animals....!"_

_"I don't like the meaning behind you guys' usage of experiment there...." Kiharu sighed. "However! Nako, you're still on about travelling with me and Roshi, right? I would really like an animal expert to charm their way through the forest as we look for a hidden city!"_

_"What- Why does it sounds like we searching for El Dorado instead!? We're supposed to be on vacation after this! We don't have that kind of energy to uncover such a thing!" Hiroshi corrected her._

_"Fufu, but chances for you three to find glamour is quite high, you see...." Renma pointed out with a smile. "Of course you will be carrying home more than just souvenirs as well...."_

_"Nooooooo....." Taiga quickly covered his ears. "Why can't you tell the spirits about happy things instead? Why must you cursed us with that!?"_

_"**They're watching you, Taiga**..."_

_"Eek!!" Both Taiga and Nao stay close together right after the medium said that. "S-Stop saying such mean jokes!!"_

_"Oh my? Look like our littlest ghost can be afraid of their own kind as well!!"_

_"I-I'm a real-life human who just writes!! Even though I'm a ghostwriter, it doesn't mean I'm dead to the public!!" Nao replied. "Ngh... saying that out loud sounds too depressing...."_

_Everything's.... the same, almost like the last memory we saw but this one is clearly different. This one.._

_"Well, would you look at that....." Homare muttered as she pulled back the curtain a bit. "Looks like our families are waiting patiently outside making deals and such.... how ludicrous, this event should have been the day they celebrated our accomplishments instead......"_

_Wow, I have never heard such a strong sour emotion coming from the fencer herself. I observed the crowded room from behind Homare's back, 'Papa and Mama are also here... that's goo- Wait a second!? What the hell is that in their hands!? Are they showing off my old design works to complete strangers!? They better not be gushing over me or I swear to god-!! Wait.... why is the Ōtsuki family here....?'_

_"Higura, you're hurting my shoulder here...."_

_"Ah, sorry... I just witnessed something I really despised...." I immediately let go of Homare's shoulder. Even after two years, I can't really get rid of my blind rage state that easily._

_"Aww... your family is here to cheer you on as well, huh?" I turned around, I'm still not used to hear such a sweet-sounding voice.... that belonged to the investigator herself._

_"How nice...." Sumire smiled, but... I don't know why, this is when we knew each other well before we lost out memories, right? So why am I feeling so **uneasy** about her right now? "You're the one who changed the most over the years, huh? Hira-chin? Keeping up with that much determination and hope for the future... you will sure make a **giant killing** soon..."_

** _What was that!?_ **

...

...

* * *

_"_ _-gura!! Higura, hey, wake up!!"_

My vision is hazy, it took a while to even see those concerned faces above me properly. Sumire placed my head on her lap as she repeatedly patted my cheeks to keep me awake, "H-hey, don't go back to sleep now!!"

I groaned as I sat up straight, feeling my right cheek seething with fiery pain somehow, "_**Alright, who fucking slapped me?**_"

"Sorry! I panicked!!" Hiroshi admitted. "B-But it was scary, you know!! Right when Nara did something to powered up those things, you got, like, electrocuted or something!!"

"I just got shocked, don't seal my fucking funeral so soon....." Needless to say, I was actually fucking terrified that it happened just now. My arms still shaking from the impact,_ 'Christ, is this how Rei must have felt when Taiga shot him those kind of pellets? He got those nerves of steel....' _With the NG Code Poison came into mind, I quickly checked it and then sighed in relief, _'Thank God, I used my other hand.... I seriously don't want to get killed by a stupid accident...'_

_"Ah!! Hira is alive!! Called it!! Nara knew that Hira would wake up sooner or later, have more faith in the designer for them to be wide awake!!"_

"_Excuse me but are you actually worried about me or what?_" I sighed while rubbing my forehead. _'But that memory just now.... that was the real one and not what Monomyou show us, right? I didn't really believe that furfuck can easily give anyone their memory back then through a fucking flashlight. For now I will have to remember both** fake and real graduation memory**....'_

"Hira-chin, are you sure you're alright? You can rest if you're not feeling well...." Sumire looked at me with concern. _I think it was concern even though that memory tried to prove me otherwise_.

"I'm fine, I'm not going down just by a little zap...." I grumbled. Being cared for... _is really annoying_. "A-Anyways, what is even that murderous hacker looking for?"

_"Ah-ha! Nara wouldn't like to hear that, you know, Hira!! My personal record hasn't changed yet so you might accidentally gave Nara some ideas!!"_

_ **Hey, so, that's too fucking ominous.** _

_ _

_"But Nara's suspicion is correct after all...." _Hibiki went to our side to deliver some kind of list as the hacker continues, "... _This place is used **to erase everyone's memories of their academy years**....."_

_'What a way to switch from being vague to being helpful....'_ Sumire's holding the list up so that everyone can see it. It has the names of the 50th Class and everyone has this word written next to them; _'**Removal Successful**'_.

I'm fixated on that word due to Eiichi being the only one who has this word; _'**Error, Removal Unsuccessful**'_.

"So... it was a mistake that Eiichi still has those memories when he entered the killing game....?" Hibiki pondered. "... Wait, he's the fake player working for the person behind Monomyou so that would make sense....."

_"Hnng.. hearing Biki being confused also made Nara confused.... she's confused why **the error was caused by Nara's own virus** **when it happened almost a few weeks ago**.....?"_

"_**You **_caused the error??" For fuck sake, what's with the complication this time? There's no way Nara is the one who did it, she was bed-ridden during most of her second year and during graduation as well. So... _who the hell caused that **error in memory removal**?_

"This is....."

Sumire flipped over to the next page that was dated a few months ago. It's some description about a program called,_ '**Neo World Program**'_. "This is the simulator where the _**Killing School Trip**_ happened......"

"_Killing School Trip?_"

"I-I don't know all the details but I heard about it when I researched more about what happened during The Tragedy..._ I even have heard about it from the words of the principal of the Hope's Peak Academy himself_......." Sumire explained. "It supposed to be a_** psychotherapeutic communication simulator**_ that places users in the virtual world for them to experience and possibly to _**replaced memories of the real world with the memories the users experienced during their time in the virtual world**_....."

_"That technology... is amazing..... even Nara couldn't comprehend such program existed without her knowledge...."_ the hacker whistled. _"... Although Nara doubt it can only be used for positive things....."_

"Unfortunately, that's where the disadvantage is; someone hijacking the simulator and forced the Killing School Trip to happened....." Sumire sighed. "Right after that issue was handled, the program itself was discarded but.... _to see it mentioned again right here out of all places_...."

"It said... _**the simulation was a failure**_....?" Hiroshi read the last line of the page. "Was that the failure from the last killing game that you were talking about...."

"No... _**this is from a few months ago**_...." Sumire paled once she realized something, _and it's already hard for me not to go apeshit right now once I've connected the dots either_. But we're trying really hard not to jump into conclusions here. "A-Anyways... we should remember this_** failed Neo World Program plan**_... it might.... help us in the trial...."

_'Yes, and no one would be happy to hear it.....'_ Hell, if figuring things out that would only give out such grim results is Sumire's everyday life then I applaud for her persistence to move on forward._ Especially for trying to find out the truth behind her missing memories...._

That's all we found here in the Seeker Room but it feels like it's still not enough. Of course, we still have the Administrator Room to bust through but since Monomyou couldn't stop being an ass and just kindly opened it up for us, "Say Hiroshi, you're physically alright.... right?"

"Huh...? I don't really get that question most of the time but yeah....? I mean, I am losing feeling in my left foot here but why do you ask?" Hiroshi answered. 

Oh wow, he just have to say that right before I'm going to say something ridiculous. Great, I'm going to be seen as an asshole now, "... _Because I'm going to make you do something stupid and try to bust open that Administrator Room_...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The investigation chapter will be split into two for easy reference (mostly for me because I'm forgetful).  
I really had fun writing Higura who has different set of knowledge compared to Sumi.


	38. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't believe the demon's words, don't fall for their sweet lies....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ TW ]  
Mentions of suicide.
> 
> Character's long overdue backstory being written inside the final chapter of the story?  
We are well-acquainted.

_"Ossun! Alright, ready to go!!"_

_"Still, don't you think this is a bit dangerous, Higura...?"_

_"Nara agrees with Biki.... Roshi would come to succumb more than just minor injuries!!"_

"You guys worried too much! I went through these kind of troubles all the time!!" Hiroshi let out a carefree laugh. "Besides, I'm still a tough nut to crack even when getting hit with a heavy impact!!"

_Yeah, that's totally the expected result for smashing into the Administrator Room from the Tech Room above by swinging yourself into its window_. I don't even know what would happened if he ended up catching the person behind Monomyou in action.....

"Alright, I made sure you're all geared and all ropes tightened....." I can only hope for the best it would go well. "Just so you know, this isn't a fool-proof plan so don't even fucking try and do it again if it doesn't work at first try. Sumi, got any advice for him?"

"........"

_Is she actually praying? That's rare_ "Hey, he's isn't dead yet, Sumi...."

"I know, I'm just preparing myself for the worst...." Sumire sighed, with disinfectant and the first-aid kit by her side and on stand-by. "I really wished we had a better option than doing this to you, Roshi-chin...."

"No worries, this is nothing!!" Hiroshi assured her. "After all, we can't waste any more time on the planning because of that time limit you guys set up and this is the most direct approach we can think of _so off I go!!!_"

Without a warning or even a countdown, Hiroshi just dashed through the room, ignoring everyone's protests and leaped through the window once he stepped onto the support beam, _he literally flew out through the window without so much as a heads-up_.

"That idiot!! What is he thinking-?!" The walls shook a bit and a loud crashing sound can be heard from below. _D-Did he actually made it? _That's our cue to check out, Hibiki picked up the hacker-controlled Monomyou as we all head to the elevator to see for ourselves.

Once everyone's in, the button for the _Administrator Room_ lightened up and to prove our suspicion, it has become accessible as the elevator actually stopped at the floor it was in, "Haah... that idiot really done it.... it actually worked...."

"It worked and he has to do it before anyone even try to stop him...." Hibiki sighed at the abseiler's recklessness to jump forward. "Sumi, would you..."

"_**I will**_...." Sumire glared at me next. "_**And you too as well**_....."

"Me too!?" _I'm getting scolded as well!?_

Once the elevator doors opened up, the sight of the blue velvet room welcomed up with monitors connected to security camera on the wall everywhere. There's computer on top of the control panel which is definitely connected to Monomyou. But somehow, _there's no sign of anyone even here_.

"H-Hey guys? A little help here?" We looked to our side to see Hiroshi leaning against the wall, with cuts littered all over his arm and legs, and even some on his face.

Sumire immediately take action (as she dragged me along with her as well) and immediately scolded the both of us while treating the abseiler's injuries. Slightly guilty for doing something dangerous but in the end, she sprinkled in on how she's glad it worked at least and it's not for nothing.

Once she's satisfied with her work and words altogether, Sumire said to the abseiler, "You need to rest for now unless you wanted to feel pain for standing-up straight.... Give it time for the ailment to even soothe it, we will investigate and then fill you in later...."

"Come on, it's not that bad-"

"_**Rest**_"

"_Yes, ma'am!_"

_An immediate shutdown. _Haven't seen her forceful side for a long time now.

As we ensured that the abseiler is resting and taken care properly, Sumire and I later joined up with the other two, Nara seems to be already working on the computer with numerous of documents opening up at once.

_"Hmmmm.... Nara never seen this room's location on her system map!! Everything looks quite new to Nara and still, Nara can't access the computer here so she can only do physical investigation for now!"_

"So you got blocked off initially?" Sumire commented. "I guess they've been expected someone to even break into the servers from the start as well...."

"_Ummm... this is sort of new to Nara but...._" there's one document that she opened up which caught her attention. "_Why is Ei-chan dubbed that 'Fake Player'? What did Ei-chan do?_"

Sumire flinched once she heard that name again, we completely forgot that Nara didn't even know about Eiichi's betrayal and him working with Monomyou at first. "Ei-chan... was the one who has been observing us and supposedly worked with the person behind Monomyou... but he died because of the position he was put in...."

_Wait... was he put in that position before or after the memory wipe error?_

"_Hmmm? That's strange, it's completely different to what's written here..... '**The Fake Player**' purpose is **to closely observed the development of the Ultimate Despair and ensured their safety all throughout the Experimental Killing Game**...._"

"W-Wait so...." Hibiki was taken back by that description. "So... _the fake player's purpose_ and_ the host's plans_... _are somewhat **separate**_...? If Monomyou's focus is entirely on us but Eiichi's on those specific people....."

"What the hell is this _**Experimental Killing Game**_...." The more I said it, the more I don't like thinking the meaning behind the first word closely associated with those two words. "Still, it's not too far off from what we suspected his purpose to be....."

"I guess his suicide makes even more morbidly sense as a spy...." Sumire has that sad gleam in her eyes. "Being exposed for siding with a dangerous group, it's his last effort to keep his mouth shut for good by ending his own life there...."

"A group that _**you**_, also, are a part of somehow...." I added in. "The thing here is _why, **why did you and Eiichi even joined that group in the first place?**_"

"I don't know, _that's why I want those memories when I was the Ultimate Despair back_....." said Sumire. "If it was our fault that landed everyone into this mess, then at least it's only fair that we need to make up for it and undo everything we did, either right or wrong.... "

_"Nara wonders if Sumi will be asking for forgiveness if that's the case?"_

She didn't say anything about that, she just shook her head and then put all her focus on the screen instead, "Did you find anything else in this computer, Nara?"

_"Ah... Nara don't like being ignored but she will excused this one once! There's plenty of long descriptive **log records of certain people here**..... everything from the first day and until the end...."_

"Who are they!" Hiroshi asked from afar, didn't knew he can actually hear us from that distance.

_"Nako, Nao, Mane and Tai!!" _So that's _**Hinako, Nao, Amane and Taiga being closely observed by Monomyou**_. Why those four specifically?

"...What are the records even about?" Sumire asked further. She has that tense look on her face.

_"Hmmmm.... the final logs for **Nako**, **Mane **and **Tai **stated that they don't have sufficient results and just have '**no results**' at the end but **Nao's** final log said that it was **successful **at her last moments....."_

_What's successful?_ What the hell are they even talking about?! They've been keeping a close eye on our suffering and decided it's worth taking notes of !?

"Why does Eiichi....." Sumire spoke up. "Why does Eiichi even made that group for us.... and why did he took note of it...."

Right, the same list of names that we presented as evidence before during Eiichi's trial and concluded with Taiga being the culprit. Is that.... also relevant to this person's identity case? _Shit_, what else did Eiichi left for us to even explore?

"_**Augmented Despair**_...."

"What was that, Nara?"

"_Nara feels like she heard of this plan but a different one... from Hope's Peak Academy as well but their methods are different.... and less inhumane....when Nara was a black hatter, she found confidential files about the Hope's Peak Academy, dated from a few years ago... the '**Hope Cultivation**' plan...._"

"I've never heard such a thing.... and I'm shocked that you managed to live through after committing such a crime against that academy...." Sumire sounds really serious there. Wait, so _Nara's technically a criminal in her eyes!?_ "They're complete opposites, right?"

_"**Hope Cultivation** is Hope's Peak mission to create true hope..... **Augmented Despair **is still vague about its purpose here but.. Nara has a feeling they wanted a more despicable person to take up that wench's mantle...."_

It took me too long to realized that _the wench_ Nara was referring to was _**Enoshima Junko**_, the true _**Ultimate Despair**_ before her demise. They're.... _basically trying to create a whole another despair to repeat the tragedy?_

_"Ah... there's also mini-logs of Machi, Mane, Biki and Tai with Ei-chan! Whoever wrote this logs has rather strong feelings of hatred directed to them...."_

"These people.... isn't this during _the fake player motive_? The one where we did the play...?" Hibiki asked. "When Amane tried to weed out the fake player by asking miscellaneous questions about Eiichi...."

"Monomyou must have keep an eye on you guys since you remembered him before the memory wipe thing...." Sumire suggested. "_It may be a side-effect or a flaw in the memory wipe process_...."

"All of this shit sounds fucking scary... what kind of person who would willing to do this to other people....?" Right after I said that, Sumire's face turned grim as if she figured out;

"I think..._ I have an idea who_ but.... I need to search thoroughly that place first.... _**the mortuary**_...."

Another place, but why there? Did we missed something else while we inspected there the last time? "I will follow along... Hibiki, I think you need to keep an eye Hiroshi and make sure that idiot don't move a muscle.... you two can go to the trial grounds in advance as well..."

"Hey! How am I gonna walk there if I'm not supposed to move!?" Hiroshi exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I can carry you there.... _somewhat_...." Hibiki looked unsure. "Sorry, I may no longer have that strength within me to carry heavy things..."

"He's actually light, no worries..." _How many times did she saved his ass?_ "Nara, what about you?"

_"Ummm... Nara feels that she will be much more safer with Biki and Roshi.... after all, **trespassing Ren's domain is more of a death wish** than the trial itself....."_

Sumi and I looked at each other after hearing that with confused looks. Was.... _Eiichi's warning about Renma turned out to be the truth? _It's not out of spite or anything? Also, this is Nara who's talking to us with memories of our first year at the academy together, for her and Eiichi, _another person who still has his memories_, to talked about Renma like he has ill-intentions... _did he also have something to do with this?_

Nonetheless we parted ways, with us heading for the mortuary and the rest stayed back before heading to the trial grounds.

* * *

The mortuary still stayed the same from yesterday's investigation, messy papers still stacked onto one of the table, the shelves are lined up properly and at least the body count here hasn't changed or anything._ Glad that Monomyou didn't touch anything here..._

"There's one thing that's been bothering me ever since this place opened up...." Sumire stated. "It was about those** _three mysterious bodies_** that was already here when this place was given to Renma....."

The bodies that we looked over out of respect for them but yeah, she's right, I also find it odd at first. Why the hell would Monomyou throw in some random corpses to being with? To scare us or are they their previous victims?

Once the investigator uncovered the sheet that's over one of the bodies, we were stunned to see _the face has been burned beyond recognition_, impossible to identify. ".... This wouldn't happened if you were trying to cover up your tracks or anything that would lead to finding you out...." she frowned. "Old burns as well....."

"You think they're related to Monomyou?"

"It has to... otherwise, _there's no reason for them to even be here_...." she replied sternly. Then, she noticed something on the other side of the body, there's a note neatly taped to the table. Not wanting to touch anything near the body, I picked up the note and recognized it to be Renma's handwriting.

"_Found the same thing like the other two bodies_...." I tried to make out what his writings said. "_**Death caused by something internal **when trying to drained blood for embalming process....._"

"This must be the autopsy then Shoma said they were doing....."

"_**And you allowed them**?_"

"_I got caught into what they were saying and didn't think about respect or anything at that time_ but it seems it's actually Renma doing his usual work....." Sumire explained. "I remembered they said they died due to an internal cause, like something related to the brain? No wounds or anything and I imagined they didn't mentioned the burnt face because it might be done after they died...."

"So this really is like an everyday case for you, huh...."

"Yeah, I've only seen it in words but never in real life...." Sumire covered the body again. "Again, I'm just an information collector not a full-time detective...."

"For a simple informant, they sure like to demonized you in the reports...." I didn't mean to say that out loud like a snarky reply. I regretted as soon as I saw the shocked face of the investigator. "W-Wait, I just read those at the archives, I didn't really think-"

"It's okay... _I got used to hearing that_....." she shifts uncomfortably as she read the note that I placed on the table right after I read it. She looks sort of.... _upset_. I expected her to be angry for bringing that up but she's... _actually upset over a headline bait?_ "Anyways, that's all I need to search through here.... we better go back to the others...."

Without sparing a glance, she walked away, heading to the elevators as she doesn't hesitate to even wait._ 'S-So those headlines were not intentional? She actually earned that title? I really shouldn't push it, she has been respectful of everyone's feelings so far.... there's no reason for me to not do the same.....'_

With that warning in mind, I head to the elevator and the investigator is still waiting for me to get in. The atmosphere around us was quiet before she spoke up. "I was still a student when my mentor first gave me a case, it's not much different to what Eiichi has been doing for probably his entire life...."

"Sumi, you don't owe anyone explanation for-"

"No,**_ I wanna say it_**. I don't think this will ever be heard by anyone else anyways...." she sternly stated. "My mentor is an amazing person. In just a blink of an eye, he will solved any cases you give to him without a failure, either runaways, frauds, anything really...... I had a really blind admiration for him back then, thinking he was a hero when he first took me in....."

_Oh, she's upset that..... she was painted like that in public...._

"It took me a while to realized he was looking for a protegee to carry on his legacy and name, with his name well acquainted with_ Hope's Peak Academy _as well, I get now why he was such a big deal even more....." she let out a snort at that last part. "And whenever I see anything related to the cases that I've personally solved, his name's always attached to mine.... _'Hoshino Iwao's protegee'_, _'Hoshino's successor'_ or anything like that...."

"That's......" This sounds all too familiar to me, _always getting compared to_ _your parent's success_. But in her case, _her own mentor's influence overshadowing her_. "... at least people know about your own name, right?"

"Oh, they knew my _'name'_ alright....." her bitter tone is getting more obvious. "..... _They just think I have no existence outside of my mentor's success_. I'm just a carry-over of my own mentor, another copy of the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_...."

"Hey, I don't think you actually remembered what I told you before...." I snapped towards her. "I said it before.... to us, you're_ **Hoshino Sumire**_.....no, scratch that, you're _**Sumi**_, never mind your mentor. You're a weirdo who is great in solving crimes and mysteries yet has a sweeter side of liking pushies and cutesy horror mascots _like_ _a really bad 'cold girl, warm personality' trope in television!_"

"_**You know I'm this close to hitting you, right?**_"

"**But**!!!" I stopped her before she could even raise a fist, she is looking at me in great disbelief. "Just because people think of you that way... it doesn't mean you just have to accept it and played that role for a long time......"

_"Excuse me?"_

The elevator door opened up as we continued our conversation while walking through the lounge area and then outside of the hotel, heading towards the trial ground.

"Your blind admiration towards your mentor started your career as a private investigator...." I explained myself, hoping to not stepped onto any landmines there. "_And I have a feeling that same admiration caused you not being able to speak up when those headlines first showed-up_...."

"..... Yeah... he said that it will only put us in a negative light if I ever speak against it...." she explained. "And that it's too unreasonable to even be mad about....."

"Yeah, well, so is _'putting your student on a pedestal for everyone to see as they shower you with praises instead of your own student who worked just as hard as everyone else in the same field'_...." I fought back. "... You shouldn't defend your mentor if he doesn't even acknowledge your hard work like that... if there's something that upsets you, then say it. You would know if he really cares about you, _**as a person**_,..._ if he actually acknowledged those problems that's been bugging you_...."

"..... Huh... you're the second person to give that same advice...." Sumire chuckles. "I guess it's a sign that I should at least...._ change something_...."

"I can think of a lot of changes you should make about yourself... like your distracting pinkish hair....." I took a few strands of her hair as I showed it. "Dye is really fucking bad for your own health, ya' know? I don't need to be like Mitsun to tell you that!!"

"I guess I was.... copying my sister's style back then just to prove that twin sister status but.... I can just outgrow my hair so it would make a nice gradient....." She's getting better at least.

"Black to pink? No way, that's too punk-ish even for someone like you!" I snickered. "Ah well, if you ever needed my help to fix your own style, hit me up... I will think of a more appropriate colour-coordinated outfit better than Mitsun!"

"Ehhh... I think I will passed....." Sumire pouted as she looked away. "You would only pick outlandish outfits just to tease the hell out of me!"

"_Hey, I'm trying be nice here for once!!_"

"For once?" She laughed. "But you're always nice, you're just in denial to even consider your actions _'nice'_.... minus the physical violence, of course..."

"Geez, thank for the recognition....." At least, she's all cheered up before the trial, where we will surely be broken apart mentally. _But, I wonder_...."Hey, you sure you're going to be alright, later? I didn't expect for you to vent like that so..."

"I will be fine.... _and for real this time_...." she gave an reassuring smile. "It's something that I have been keeping to myself for too long so I'm glad there's at least one person who's willing to listen...." 

"Only one?"

"..... I guess having to tell my problems to one willing ear, to me, is still considered to be _quite a lot for me to do_....."

.......

"Say, if your fallout with your mentor is turning to shit, I won't mind asking my parents to take you in...."

"Ah-wah-what!? Like as part of your family!? You don't have the power to even decide what your parents should do!!"

"I have and it's called '_being the only child they're willing to spoiled to high ends'_...."

"Hmph, so this is the truest nature of a spoiled child...." 

"_**Watch your mouth**, the offer will only stay up if you don't talk shit about us_...."

* * *

_"Ah-ah-ah!! Nara sees her through one functioning eye!!" _Nara wiggled underneath Hibiki's grasp. _"... The two latecomers!! Sumi and Hira hanging out too late!! If they're still around, Tai and Mitsun will get really mad, ya' know!!"_

"We didn't really know when the investigation time ends but it seems Monomyou doesn't want to bother with putting a time limit to an already existing one...." Sumire explained. "Roshi-chin, are you alright?"

"Kind of!! Still won't move unless I want to writhe in agony!!" said Hiroshi with a grin. "How about you two? What did you guys find?"

"Something that's been bothering us since the mortuary first became accessible to us..." I explained next. "There's these _three bodies_ that mysteriously appeared when Renma first has access to it that may have some connections with Monomyou...... Nara, is there anything you know about the would fit that description?"

_"Not really... Nara never heard of any **disappearance cases** popping out during her first year!"_

"Right... Sumi?"

"It's a long shot but.... I have an idea... I will present it during the trial since Monomyou just loves their mysteries to be _well-hidden_...." Sumire sighed. "So bear with me for being too vague about it...."

"These class trials are the epitome of being fucking vague in the first place...." Nara pushed the button to call for the elevator. I looked back to the bracelet I almost forgot I had on me, _'Four hours left..... we sure take our sweet ass time... is this even enough, could we actually reached the truth before we died due to our recklessness....?'_

_"Elevators opened!! Everyone, march forward!! Follow Nara and Biki, leading the way!!"_

Not only that, this is Nara's first class trial as well and_ we still don't know if she's the **real Katou Nara**... or just another impostor trying to fool us all again_. _'Whatever!! If she's trying to steer us from finding out the answer then we will just have to take control of the debate from right under her grasp!! Like what Eiichi always do just to prove his point...'_

No matter how many obstacles that damned cat will throw at us, or how harsh the truth will be, _we will survive__ this_. This class trial... _where it will determined our freedom_. The doors opened up and I immediately glared at Monomyou currently sitting on their usual throne.

"Nyahahaha!! Everyone's been pretty rowdy today, huh?" he snickered. "This host's special room as well has been infiltrated but thank goodness I hid just in time before _a certain spider _crawl through the window!!" 

"Could have gone out earlier if I had that chance!!" Hiroshi yelled back.

"It doesn't matter... because we now have all the evidences... _to find out who you really are_...." Sumire frowned. "And you still remember our deal, right? Once you've been caught..._** you need to let me take control as the mastermind of this killing game**_...." 

_'All that encouragement I gave just now... will ended up being used here once Sumire gets her memories back....'_ That possibility of her being such a ruthless person still frightens me. _'I... want to believe she not a completely different person back then... just a misguided soul... but if the situation turns drastic then... I guess her idea of snapping her out of it can always be our option...'_

Everyone went to their podiums as Nara, given a bit of support with a stool to stand on, chose to be on Eiichi's podium. Taiga's portrait has an X over it, marked with some sort of muskets while Eiichi, before it was taken away for Nara to stand in, just has his eyes covered with messy streaks, '_A sign of secrecy_....'

"I'm quite excited!! This host has never had a new audience to join the class trial!!" The host boasted. "Maybe I should make an exception for the class trial to be easy for our newcomer? Or even more difficult so that it's everyone's new experience!!"

_"Nara knows perfectly well how a court case would play out!! Nara is no stranger to those things, you know!!"_

_**I'm even more worried now**_. 

"Nyahahaha!! Just so my beloved guests should know...." Monomyou jumped down from their throne to joined us below. "This adorable host will also participate in the class trial!! After all, it involves this adorable host to protect their identity from getting revealed!! _And that will be one **magnificent **trial to fight through, ain't it?!_"

"With bolts and nails, you've been fucking with us since we first came here...." I gritted my teeth as I glared at him. "You made us play your twisted game just so you can earn some satisfaction from seeing people murdering each other while collecting some information like we're all lab rats here... you know what? Once we get out of here... once you're really caught... _**we will make you slowly rot behind the same walls**__** you confined us in for a very long time in agony**.._..."

"Nyahahaha..." Monomyou's voice went low and sinister. "_I will thoroughly enjoy this **magnificent** trial if that's what's waiting for this host!_" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really know how many chapters there will be for the class trial alone but hopefully not FIVE CHAPTERS (watch as I jinxed myself with this)


	39. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "May the demon bare their fangs into the truth and may the puppeteer revealed themselves to the world....."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a Valentines' Day Special fic right [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22693990) because I'm dying for fluff content wwww  
Also made another Valentine-related art on my [tumblr](https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/post/190805789935/happy-early-valentines-day-from-the-magnificent) (the cast will return for another celebration on March 14th, White Day!)

**[ _Class Trial - IN SESSION -_ ]**

"At last... _the grand finale_....." Monomyou started. "The grand stage that has been set up for our magnificent guests and the intruder in order to determined their future!!_ To **be free** or to** be killed**_, once and for all!! This is the final class trial that will reveal the identity of the_** Ultimate Despair Host**_ themselves, this adorable_** Monomyou**_... and the fate of the _**Ultimate Despair, Hoshino Sumire**_...."

"So you admitted it...." Sumire shot a glare at the feline host. "There's no use beating around the bushes and just outright deny it now, Monomyou?"

"This host can't say for sure!! Can't really say that I agreed to that statement or not!! After all, _**you all got that information from your own friends who's been snooping around instead!!**_" Monomyou snickered. "Oh! Isn't that a perfect starting point? _**Do you guys really think that the information you guys are even true at all?**_"

"That information... _was our friends' final aid to us_...."_ Shoma, Taiga..... and Eiichi_, there's no way they're going to throw out a fucking lie at this point. "And we have all the evidences about it that still proved them to be correct... _from your own place_...."

"Nyaha!? A fatal clue that was left to be discovered on my domain!?" Monomyou gasped. "How preposterous!! I, Monomyou, would never leave around such an important clue carelessly like that!!"

"You literally dropped so many hints during the previous class trials...." Hiroshi pointed out. "It's obvious that you're just leading us to find them out in order to give you that satisfaction you've been craving for!!"

_"Mhn! Nara has been on work and gave everything she got!! Nara even cut off connections that Monomyou have towards those soldiers outside for extra measures while Monomyou wasn't around!! Nara also helped everyone to find the answers they needed!!"_

"Ah, so that's what you were doing just now....." Hibiki commented. "Anyways, there's no use to deny it, Monomyou...."

"I'm just stating one such possibility, ain't I?" Monomyou asked. "After all, most of the information everyone received are from the words of a super intelligent person whose identity remains unknown! _**The Fake Player**,_ _**Oshiro Eiichi**!!_ Also known as the_** Ultimate Spy**!!_ Spies aren't trustworthy people, ya' know!"

_'That's true, but there's something else about a certain spy's position proved that they're not entirely on furfuck's side.... I gotta shove that fact right up in their face!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"_Oshiro Eiichi is the Fake Player_, which made him different from everyone else!!" Monomyou stated. "After all,_** he's not supposed to be with everyone else!!**_"

"We won't deny his position relating to you..." Sumire replied. "But we also deny that _**he was willingly to be put in that position in the first place**_...."

"Eh? Why is that?' Monomyou asked.

"It's because_ you wanted to keep his mouth shut about your entire plan_...." Hibiki commented. "And so _**you placed restrictions on him where he couldn't tell us anything**_...."

"_**The Fake Player title is just a facade**_ for you to use to keep us on edge!!" Hiroshi shouted.

"Eiichi won't do something as petty as that, you know!!" Nara argued.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"_Not exactly_...." I stated. "While the Fake Player title is probably something that Monomyou made up just to scare us shitless, _**they have an actual purpose**_ and not just being some sort of spy bird for Monomyou. _**The actual purpose of the Fake Player**_ is_** to monitor the Ultimate Despair all throughout this Killing Game**_... which means... _Eiichi has been keeping a close eye on Sumire to make sure she doesn't get killed_...."

"It's because she's the _**Ultimate **_**_Despair_**.... _she's the most valuable asset to Monomyou themselves_....." said Hibiki. "That's why they make use of Eiichi due to his.... _**flaw **in the killing game_....."

"Huh!? What flaw? As far as I know!! That pest have always been a flaw-fault being since the beginning!!" Monomyou fumed.

_'This '**flaw**' that Hibiki mentioned just now has to be....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"It's the **memory wipe**...... because there's an error with Eiichi's memory wipe that caused him to still have those memories during the killing game....."_

"Hmmm? That? The memory wipe faulty thing doesn't bother me a bit at all!!" Monomyou laughed. "After all, _**his own words and memories are useless if he kept his words!!**_"

_"What does that mean!? Nara doesn't like it when someone else insulted her friends!!"_

"I think you know exactly what I'm saying here, oh dear _Nara _the _**Ultimate Hacker **_themselves!!" Monomyou teased. "After all, you're part of the merry band of intruders as well to infiltrate the _Yumeino Ultimate Academy!! _You should know exactly why that pest is useless in this kind of situation!!"

"His duty as an _**Ultimate Spy**_...." Sumire explained. "They must kept their words no matter what..... all for a mission they will and must complete, _they will even risk their life on the line if they have to_...."

"Technically speaking,_ **he put himself in that situation to begin with**!!_" Monomyou exclaimed. "He's quite a busybody after all!! For going so far as to meddle with my plans too much and disturbing the _**Ultimate Despair **_during the killing game!! Honestly, what a nuisance he is!!"

"So it doesn't matter who the person is or how sketchy they are.... _Eiichi would still work for them no matter what?_" Is that what Sumi's trying to say?

"Perhaps everyone fall under pretence that the pest works for this dear host here? Well, all of you can't be anymore wrong-er than that!!!" said Monomyou. "This host has been working on something important all _by **himself**!!!_"

"T-Then.... _who exactly is he working for_....?" Hiroshi asked.

"I'm afraid...." Sumire looked away. "_**It must have been me**_... before I even become known as the _**Ultimate Despair**_...."

"Nyahahaha!! That's correct!!!" Monomyou laughed. "After all, back when Hope's Peak Academy is still indecisive on who to send out to be their agents at the Yumeino Academy, the _**Ultimate Spy**_ was highly requested to be placed under the **_Ultimate Private Investigator_**'s care!! After all, they wouldn't risk such a talented student betraying them all of the sudden now!! _While also hiding the fact they took advantage of the three students instead!!_"

If Hope's Peak Academy really is worried about the disappearance from the smaller Ultimate Academy, _why didn't they act sooner?_ Why are they taking their time to even collect information back-and-forth? _That shit doesn't make any sense-_

"With that cleared out, I hope anything else about that pest is no longer in question!! I seriously hate that guy, you know!!" Monomyou stated. "After all, I'm more interested on you all, my dear guests... as well as the intruder as the matter of fact!!"

_"Don't dismissed Nara's involvement like that!! Nara wanted to know what Monomyou did to her friends!!"_

"Oh my, such a terrific bite on a subject!" Monomyou chuckles. "I wonder does the_ Ultimate Hacker_ even want to know from this host right here?"

_'Of course, it's something we found that involves everyone, right? The one Nara found concerning..... no, not exactly everyone... it has to be **that**, isn't it?!'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Nara wants to know what the host did to her friends!!" Nara started. "_Did Monomyou brainwashed them to kill each other!?_"

"How low!!! This host will never such a low-bearing method for murder!!" Monomyou argued. "_**All my methods are Grade A mysteries solving questions that everyone likes!**_"

"With the exception of the last trial, all of Monomyou's attempts to commit a murder has been solely that...." said Hibiki. "... _Purposely luring their guests to kill each other_...."

"Monomyou's plan involved something more than that...." Sumire rebutted. "_They've been keeping an eye on certain people for some definite reason_...."

"_**They're trying to spread despair**_, right?" Hiroshi replied. "It could be just as simple as that...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"Sumire's right... the only reason why Monomyou would be interested in keeping us and making us participate in this killing game.... has to be related to_** those record logs about certain people that they kept in the Administrator Room**_..." _Hinako, Amane, Nao_ and _Taiga_, about these four people specifically. "The rest of us... _are just some extra players up for their killings_....."

"T-There's a predetermined death that's waiting to happened!?" Hiroshi seems surprised. "W-Wait, what makes you think that...?"

_'The only logical reason why those record logs were made for those certain people to begin with..... it has to be something related to what they called this Killing Game in the first place....'_

_.................._

_........._

"Monomyou, you called this poor excuse of a game as the_ '**Experimental Killing Game**'_.... _you better have a good explanation about that name_...."

"Oh dear, am I needed for a little bit of history after all? It's been a while since I've shed some light about it!!!" Monomyou bounced around in excitement. "I'm sure everyone now have heard of _'**The Tragedy**'_, right!? I'm not gonna explained what caused that again!! Two different kinds of a killing game happened during and after_ 'The Tragedy'_, _**The Killing School Life**_ and _**The Killing School Trip**_. Both killing games have entranced some people, you see... and that desire only escalated more right after**_ The Final Killing Game of the Future Foundation_** themselves!!"

"Meaning....?" Sumire asked with great annoyance in her tone.

"_The Tragedy_ made a very devastating impact on everyone and will surely affect them while growing up after all!!" Monomyou ignored the seething glares they're receiving right now. "Which is why this host is curious of_ what happened if those certain people were exposed to a really violent environment that reminded them of something soooo tragic!!_"

"So you're reopening old wounds instead.....?" Hibiki's eyes widened. "For what reasons you must do that for!?"

"_I think your answers lies on one person who showed us the after-effects of that exposure._...." Monomyou hinted. "I wonder if you all remembered them....?"

_'This was in the record logs..... that person that Monomyou blatantly talking about is...'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**Ishimoto Nao**.... the **Ultimate Ghostwriter** who **admired the Ultimate Despair**...."_

"Correcto-mundo!!!" Monomyou loudly announced. "I doubt everyone would just forget about that mimicking doll's performance!! To declare she did all the killing for the sake of her beloved _Ultimate Despair!!_ Doing something despicable for someone they totally admired is quite romantic, ain't it?"

"You're..... _**Don't tell me you're recording their progress of falling into despair?**_" Sumire asked, horrified by it. "Why would you do that....?"

"Please spare those kind of questions for the later half of this grand finale!! After all... _I think that question is more suited to ask directly to the **real mastermind** themselves_...."

"_Sumire_...." I glance a worried look at her. "Then who the hell are you exactly? There's no way a human being would even dare to do something this cruel to others....."

"Nyah? Everyone's really that slow to figure that out? I thought it would be even more obvious right after that pest just gave up helping everyone in that ghost brat's trial!!" The investigator hand's twitched at the subtle mention of Renma's trial. "After all!! Someone has to keep an eye on everyone and see how the despair progress goes!! _Especially when that someone is really close to everyone ever since you all stepped one foot into the Ultimate Academy!!_"

"_Someone we're close to_.... there's no way in hell you're going to pull out that necromancy shit out of your ass...." The last thing we needed to know in this last class trial is that one of our friends came back alive after being brutally murdered and executed.

"Hmm... not quite sure about that!! Ghosts do sure exists!! I've seen that possession stuffs happening before!!" Monomyou proudly stated. "I'm pretty sure you've seen them before right? _Something that shouldn't be here but is there for some reason!_"

_'Something that isn't there... but is there...? What the hell are they on about...?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Try a take your guess on what's _not supposed to be there but is there instead!!_" Monomyou asked giddily.

"Nara don't get what Monomyou's saying but...." Nara replied. "Nara figures that it's _her own presence here_, maybe....?"

"Is this related to _the catacombs _maybe?" Hiroshi took a guess. "That thing is there for without a reason....."

"_Something in the mortuary_ probably?" Sumire asked. "After all, we never knew it was there right except for Renma...."

"The whole _Seeker Room_ thing is kind of the glaring point here, isn't it?"

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"There is something that's been bothering Sumi and I when we first stepped into_** that room**_....." I explained. "When_** the mortuary**_ first opened, we were told by Renma that it was a place just for him for his embalming work on the past victims but.... _**there's like three covered-up bodies **_that Renma didn't know who they belonged to...."

"We've tried to investigate their faces but they were unfortunately burnt off...." Sumire sighed. "Clearly, _this is the host's doing to protect their identity_....."

_"Why did Monomyou kept those mysterious bodies underground....?"_ Nara asked._ "If Nara wants to get rid of evidences, then Nara would definitely go for incinerating bodies just to be sure!!"_

"_You're really not helping your case to prove you're good now, are you?_" The more I taken in whatever the hacker said from her mouth, the more I'm worried about her. "But you still make a great point, what's with the lack of secrecy? If you really wanted to get rid of them, you should have done that...." _That's so fucking weird to agree with_.

"This host thinks it's more suitable to leave them like that, ya' know?" Monomyou swayed from side-to-side. "After all, it's fascinating to see other guests being slowly reduced to nothing but bones and dirt after all!"

"How.... _morbidly disgusting_...." Sumire scrunched in disgust.

"My interests are mine to indulge only!!" said the host. "After all, I am a host of rather particular yet strange hobbies!!"

"I.... _wouldn't say they're a bit strange_....." Hiroshi commented.

"_**Wait**_...." Hibiki stopped the host from talking. "Did you say..... _**other guests**?_ Who is this.... _'**other guests**'_ that you're talking about?"

"Hmm? Well, it's not everyone here are this host's first guests to entertained! There's a reason why this adorable and magnificent host has rather incredible skills to keep everyone satisfied with mysteries and deaths themselves!!"

"We're aware that we're not the first but for you to called those three unknown bodies your **other guests **in such a carefree manner...." the investigator muttered. "_There's more to those three who obviously aren't just random people you picked, aren't they?_"

"Ah-ha! You're really quick on that suspicion, dear _**Ultimate Despair**!!_" Sumire's glare only intensified once they've said that. "However, nagging on the three dead bodies won't give you the answer you needed!! After all, _**the faceless holds no value!!**_"

"_**No**_, just by their existence alone actually helps us a lot...." I sharply cut in. It took me this long to noticed where Sumire is trying to lead this into. "Rather than the bodies themselves, I think_ Eiichi himself actually helped us a lot into finding out who you are_..._ now that we know what's with your fascination with us_....."

"I wasn't sure what was his plan back then right before his trial but now... it's kind of a nice payback he made to drag you down with him....." Sumire smirked. "He actually made a lot of progress just to shortened this trial.... _**by giving away your fatal mistake**_...."

"Nyargh!? M-My mistake!?" Monomyou trembled. "W-What could that be!? There's no way this host would make such a fatal mistake!!"

"Argue all you want but we have something else that proves-"

( _**ARGUED: Monomyou**_ \- _"Nyargh!! I will tear your throat out!!"_ \- )

* * *

"Like I said!! There's nothing else this magnificent host could have left that serves as a vital clue to my identity!!" Monomyou scolded. "Can't you drill that into your damned thick skull!?"

"You forgot, I never listened to a shithead who gets off this ridiculous killing game...." I sneered. "Besides, you can deny all you want but we have proof that could tear down that _**shitty facade of yours**!!_"

"Saying that this adorable host leaving _such a vital clue_ around the hotel is a ridiculous thing!!" Monomyou started. "After all, this host has made sure their identity are well-hidden, 100%, I tell you!!! You're just bluffing!!"

"You contradicted your own damn self here!!!" I fought back. "You tried to bring down Eiichi so badly that you ended up exposing you in one of those trials!!"

"E-Exposed!? What do you mean!? There's no way this host would recklessly_** reveal their identity like that**!!_" Monomyou refuted. "_**Especially not during the class trial**!!_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"I will prove you wrong!"_ -)**

* * *

"I seriously have this feeling you're doing this on purpose because you're getting sloppier with your hiding skills....." I started. "Just to exposed that Eiichi is the real _**Fake Player**_ to bring up paranoia around us to just get rid of the _Ultimate Spy_... you didn't count in the account of him giving away_ that **Final Prize of the Labyrinth Puzzle** _for us to figure it out!!"

"_Nyargh!?_"

"From there, we figured out that Eiichi is pretending to be someone else....." Sumire eyed on them dangerously. "_And that someone was the same person he wanted to spite all throughout the killing game_....."

"Then..._**the three bodies** themselves are already the major clue to Monomyou themselves_...." Hibiki continued. "N-Now that we looked back on it.... _they kind of screwed themselves over on that one_....."

_"Nara really took her time to remember...... what she has forgotten a year ago....... so it really is **you**, Monomyou...."_

"Well, Monomyou? Anymore defensive claims you're going to throw at us?" Hiroshi urged them on.

"T-This host wonders....." Monomyou asked, "... _j-just what kind of connection does this host has with those three mysterious bodies in the first place!?_"

_'The connection that these two things has.... is the one we've already known about it by Mitsuru and Renma' trial.... it's....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**The List of the Four Staff Members of Yumeino Ultimate Academy** themselves... or rather, **the three mysterious bodies and the puppeteer of Monomyou**....."_

"The body count matches up with the other three staff members that were supposed to aid us in the disappearance case. But after that, we never heard of anything about them ever again..." Sumire started. "_So my best guess was that they were killed for getting too close to finding out this plan you had, huh, Monomyou?_"

"_Nyargh!!_"

"You don't even bother getting rid of the body properly so you just dumped them there.... _**what a terrible mistake you made there**_....." I continued. "You got way too ahead of yourself and didn't even bother cover up your tracks....."

"Not only that...." It's Hiroshi's turn. "All those recordings about other people's psyche and despair progress clearly hints out _**your Ultimate talent**_...."

"Even _**the Seeker Room**_ is the biggest hint itself...." Hibiki's next. "_All those plans involving messing with the human mind_...."

"_You used Nara's Monomyou to disguise yourself as an host just so you can record some valuable results for your own research on despair.... **on your own students**...."_

_'Everyone's convinced right now, the person behind Monomyou, the person that Eiichi has been on battle for so long, is....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**Mafuyu Hisao, the Former Ultimate Psychologist and the Homeroom Teacher of the 50th Class**..... you're the puppeteer of Monomyou, aren't you?"_

Monomyou went silent.... they didn't move or anything... they just stood there, staring right back at us.

"Hey, why the hell are you being quiet all of the sudden?" This... _sort of feels bad, like something bad is going to happened_. "Are you so shocked that you got caught... that it made you speechless?"

"Cough it up already!!" Hiroshi demanded. "How long are you going to make us play your twisted experiment game!? Just end it already, you had enough messing with us!!"

"_**Enough**?_ Do you seriously think this is_ '**enough**'?_"

Monomyou let out a huge laughter, not a high-pitched one.. it sounded so human-like that it sent shivers down everyone's spine. It's still echoing inside our mind even when they stopped, "_**Enough**?_ No, I will never have just '**_enough_**' I want '_**more**_'!! I want to mess with everyone some **_more_**!!"

Smoke suddenly appeared from every direction, filling up the room as everyone tried their best not to breathe in, fearing that they might get knocked out because of it. Once everything cleared up.... an unknown figure replaced Monomyou's place, a man in their 20's wearing a lab coat with dirty blonde hair, sitting on the podium stand, clearly amused by everyone's shocked expression due to their sudden appearance, "Yo, _it's been a while, **my beloved students of the 50th Class**_....."

"_**Mafuyu Hisao**_...." The real deal, the real one, in flesh and blood. This crazy, son of a bitch who have been tormenting us!! "You came out a lot faster this time, huh!?"

"Unfortunately I got figured out... but it's not like I wanted to get figured out that badly anyways...." He waved his hand around. "_**I'm just waiting to get figured out**_. But it took too long that I actually got bored so... **_I decided to get out with it_**, you know? You guys have been rather dense for the past few trials, I wasn't so sure that you guys were actually my students in the first place!!"

"D-Don't call us that as if you actually cared about us!!" Hiroshi shouted. "If you really cared about your students, you wouldn't have put them in this kind of messed-up situation!! Instead, you did nothing!!"

"Oh, on the contrary, _**I did do something**_ and _**it did benefits both partie**_**_s_**...." the nonchalant voice of the psychologist rang out. "Well, _it sure as hell benefits me as a psychologist and the Ultimate Despair themselves_...."

..._ Something isn't right._

Something tells me that... we're not approaching the end quite yet.... in fact, _it feels like this is the beginning of something terrible that's going to happened_.

"H-Hey... you...." My voice stuttered. "Eiichi.. was serious about trying to kill you, isn't he? He knows he can't kill.... _**the Ultimate Despair and the real mastermind themselves**_..... so he decided to put a hit on you, right?"

"You're always so bright, Hira!" the real Hisao smirked. "You're the second genius close to dear Sumi and Eii's level..... _I'm not so surprised you've caught onto that missing link there_...."

_"Nara wonders if Hira is okay? Is there something wrong?"_

"You're on the despair side.... bringing everything within you to spread despair to your own students so....." I asked carefully. "_**But you're not part of the Ultimate Despair, are you**?_"

The psychologist laughed out loud as he applauded, "That's the spirit, Hira!! I knew you can make a break for it!! I'm sure Sakkun and Mitsun would be proud of you in the afterlife!!"

"_**Cut that out**_..." Sumire warned them. "... _**or I will make you**_...."

"_Kyaa, how scary!_" Hisao mocked Monomyou's high-pitched voice. "Ugh, never mind that voice... I got really tired of imitating such a stupid voice. But to answer Hira's question like any good teacher should.... _**nope, I'm not, in fact, the Ultimate Despair**_....."

"Y-You're not!?" Both Hibiki and Hiroshi exclaimed in shock.

_"Nara remembers now.... Nara remembers..... homeroom teacher **being the bridge between this killing game and the true Ultimate Despair themselves**... but why... why did teacher even sided with Ultimate Despair in the first place...?"_

"Your memories hasn't returned yet, Nara? Well, can't blame you for that... they did went overboard in_ taking you out_ so_I will apologized in **their place** for deciding on such an aggressive method on trying to take care of you_..." he smiled. "But my involvement is merely coincidental... after all, I'm being seen as too important to let go but.... _I think you will find your answers **right over that thing there**_...."

He points straight ahead.... straight at Sumire's direction who's alarmed by what the psychologist called them. "_**T-Thing**...?_"

Hisao frowned, "Of course, I'm calling you '_**a thing'**_, what else should I call you? After all,_** you're not the Hoshio Sumire that I knew**_ from my teaching days.... _**you're entirely different**_. _**You're not the same as your past**_ and the differences are alarmingly huge that it would be fitting to call you as **_husk _**right now! A_ husk of all its former glory!! _It's quite hard to predict your movement from behind the screen even for me!"

"How dare you!?" Hibiki snarled at him. "Don't you dare called her that!! She's much more human than you ever are, you psychopath!!!"

"Huh? Her, _**a human**?_ You seriously called her that_ **even after what she has done**?_ You're joking, right?" the psychologist's face turned serious. "_I would keep my tongue to myself if I were around her, you know?** She's truly a monster if you crossed her**_....."

_ **A monster. A demon. So... it's true** _ **.**

"Don't forget that _**she's behind all this Experimental Killing Game from scratch**_, even when I'm getting the results,_** everything is by her doing still**_...." Hisao smiled again. "After all... **_she told me to reveal myself once I got figured out_**. Yup, that's right! No matter what! From start to finish, _this whole killing game thing was staged for the real world!!_"

"Staged for the real world...?" Sumire's voice wavered.

"I'm surprised you don't remember yet.... you've been getting random memories slowly so I figured my fun will get cut short once you've remembered everything _**but I will surely take pleasure into breaking apart that innocent personality you're showing to others**_...." He sounds so.... _**livid towards her**_. "Dearest students and guests, I recommend taking off those rosy-colored glasses and faced reality once more again..... because my reveal is just a warm-up.... _**this magnificent trial will start for real this time**_...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Monomyou's reveal is the least of this trial's priority since it's obvious wwww
> 
> I'm not sure if there's GBF players in this Danganronpa fandom but let me just say it here; GRIMNIR FUCKING STOLE MY WIG AND SPARKS.


	40. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Break it off, break it off, break it off-!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First; this is just Exposition Time™,  
Second; they need Help™,  
And lastly; I got a boost of energy so I was quite excited to finish this chapter but the content of it is just :) :)

**[ _Class Trial - RESUMED -_ ]**

" .... _**This magnificent trial will start for real this time**_...." 

As if it's going to be that easy, for the puppeteer to show up this early in the trial has to be first starting point and the rest will follow suite. _**Mafuyu Hisao**_,_ the Former Ultimate Psychologist_, _**is not the Ultimate Despair**_... hence our real enemy here is _**the mastermind**_... the one he called a '_monster_', _**Hoshino Sumire**_.

"Now then, _let's begin this trial_, shall we?" the psychologist hummed excitedly. "You see, everyone's too focused on unmasking Monomyou that they forgot the most important thing here; _**where is this place exactly?**_ _Young Shou made a close call when he discovered something_....."

"Discovered something....?" Hiroshi asked. "H-He did said something rather odd when we were investigating the storage room for the first time...."

_'What Shoma said before Eiichi's trial, something about...'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**He said something about the strong breeze that made him feel nostalgic**.... concerning his Ultimate talent and fieldwork, we're somewhat **near the ocean** or something similar to that, are we?"_

"Ah, interesting, _interesting_....." Hisao nodded. "A strong memory game in play here, but makes sense in process of elimination and concerning the individual in question...."

"Because of the huge walls built, surrounding this place and blocking our view to the outside word...." said Sumire. "We wouldn't know exactly where our location is.... _even with Nara's skills to tracks us down_...."

"_Everyone's placement is hard to determined.... the only thing Nara can find is Monomyou's own control system!!_"

"Still a great feat there, Nara. I will give you praises for that...." commented Hisao. "However, not all answers can be found that exactly. After all, I did my best to give all of you some hints to the truth like a good teacher should do!! All you gotta do is _guess_...."

_'W-What's with him? Why is he so calm about us trying to solve this place's mystery? What's his ulterior motive here exactly?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"Leaving hints on where this place actually is...?" Hibiki asked. "_Did we even discovered that hint_...?"

"Of course!!" Hisao replied. "_**One of you, in fact, found it in plain sight**!!_"

"In plain sight....." Sumire wondered. "_In library's archive_, you mean...?"

"But the only things we found there was the newspaper clippings and the student profiles...." Hiroshi replied. "_**Both turned out to be fake in the end**_...."

"Nara search through all the available documents in both the Seeker and Administrator Rooms...." said Nara. "_**There's nothing else that even mentioned about our whereabouts**_...."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"This is a wild guess... but I think the plain sight that he mentioned was, in fact, _**the library's archive**_....." I sided with Sumire's statement. "Right when everyone searched for the key to the Seeker Room, I went back to the library just to check something out....." _Something related to the investigator_. "And.... one of the things I found is about some tourist corporation bought an micro-island just off the coast of Japan to create a resort a few years ago. That's the closest hint I get to our placement here, from _**The Genesis's Resort Plan**_...."

"**_The Genesis_**....?" Sumire's eyes widened. "I... It feels like I've heard of that organisation somewhere....."

"But they're a tourism corporation so how are they even related to this island in the first place...?" Hibiki asked, bewildered. "Why would they be related to us if that's the case....?"

"I guess it's time for a history lesson now, huh?" Hisao started. "Hirarin, this is exactly your expertise so you may enlightened your friends for some extra knowledge if you want to. Now then, as everyone should know, after _**The Tragedy**_, the nation itself was in ruined and disrepair,_ even the glorious Hope's Peak are at its lowest point_. So their sister school and the headmaster themselves decided to restore everything and aid the Future Foundation by _**introducing some sort of system that you wouldn't expect a school of all things to have**_...."

_'The system that he's talking about has to be.....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**The Keiretsu System**, right? Most specifically the **Horizontal Keiretsu**?"_

"As expected of the _Mochizuki family_ or the_ Tsuki-Zuki family_, haha, I always have a fun time pronouncing your last name like that!!" the psychologist chuckles. "That's right, _the Yumeino Ultimate Academy joined association with other organisations who were founded by their former alumnus_. Within that system, they provide each other finances, back-up and even take a bullet for each other if they needed to, just to prevent anymore losses and to help the nation and its people out from its darkest time. How romantically heroic that school has become! _**However**_,_** there's one after-effect of the tragedy that they've overlooked**_....."

"_An after-effect...? _What's that...?" Hiroshi asked.

"_**The Final Killing Game**_... and _**what the Future Foundation have done after that**_...." Hisao grinned. "For unknown reason, _one of the member of the Future Foundation broadcast this brain-washing video to the whole world,** to fill them with hope**_.... However, it was unfortunately cut short and the results afterwards were.... _**hectic**_. The people who were filled with despair before were split in the middle_**, the same people who wanted to cause chaos in the name of despair **_but_** also held themselves back in the name of hope**_..... Such opposing mindset intimidatingly clashed together, against one and another, to only cause what I could only described as _'**ideals overload**'_."

"_An internal meltdown_...." Sumire continued. "_Combining** the terrible influence of The Tragedy** and **the sudden exposure to that Hope Video**_.... that will surely damaged the anyone's psyche....."

_"However, if Nara remembered correctly... there was a certain group that vowed to help those people... isn't there?"_

"Yup,_ so who do you think they are?_" the psychologist asked. "The same people who's under the Yumeino Ultimate Academy's thumb, _who dares to cleanse the world out of despair_... _who do you think they are?_"

_'The only group that's clearly mentioned before here was.....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**The Genesis**? How would they even....?"_

"Yup, yup,_** the Genesis used to be under my supervision before**!!_" Hisao cheerfully answered. "_**The Genesis**_ was used by health professions of the Ultimate Academies for a short while as our shelter and using their funds to help these poor people out of their misery.... _**using a certain tool that lets us erase those awful memories**_....."

"_**The Neo World Program**_....." Hibiki answered. "However... if I recalled from what Sumire told us about that program.... they're not supposed to used without any caution and by anyone like that...."

"Hmmm, I got a pass, you know? _**Because I was one of the Ultimates who helped to create that program back then**_....." the psychologist replied. "With my research from when I was a student combined with other Ultimates' skills, we managed to create a program who can help those people but _**then the Killing School Trip happened**_ and so on and so on, _you get the idea! _So yeah, I'm perfectly qualified to use it as well!!"

"So how the hell did your so-called _'aid'_ even landed you in this position? _Messing with your students just to make them feel despair out of sheer pleasure?_" If he has done so much to help, why suddenly go against it then?

"Because of_ a slight error back then that even the Future Foundation overlooked_....." he sighed. "Despair truly is unpredictable.... on one hand, it's a messy, uncontrollable desire to cause havoc..... on the other, in its controlled state, _**it became much more deadlier as it's waiting to be burst out**_...."

"_L-like trying to pop pimples or something?_"

"Strange analogy but that's very like you, Roshi!! Proud of ya' for trying to contribute something at least!!" the abseiler immediately backs down when the puppeteer complimented him. "Out of all the students I have to agreed with, Nao made such an unlikely correction... _**Despair simply adapt within their environment**_. Eh, cutting the long story short, _**these controlled-despair people were let loose and went free under the Future Foundation's radar completely**_..."

"So those people.... _faked their own recovery?_" Sumire repeated what he said. "And you didn't even bother...?"

"More like it didn't occurred to me that they would recovered that fast but I'm in a very high demand, you know? Your own teacher is still popular to help Hope's Peak and all that!!" he laughed, like it's nothing a silly story for him to tell. "Now with those controlled-despair and hope-ridden people who infiltrated the already-stabilizing society, what do you think happened next? In such a normal, everyday situation, _**how would they suppressed their urges or anything that would satisfy their cravings for despair?**_"

_'They did something that still has an affect until the present day... something they did to satisfied their **despairful urges**....?'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"A group of people still actively seeking despair in present time...." Sumire started. "... _There's no way they would get away with it!!_"

"That's where you're wrong, Sumire!" Hisao cheerfully stated. "_It's something you're very familiar with!_"

"Familiar with....?" Hibiki is bewildered. "But _**she doesn't even remember anything during those two years at the academy**_....?"

"Nara thinks it's probably be **_related to what lead Sumi to the academy in the first place_**....." said Nara

"**_The disappearance case? _**Is that it?" Hiroshi asked.

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"_Don't tell me_......" that case file we found at the old warehouse..._ fits into this ploy_. "_That those **disappearance cases** was their doing after all....?_"

"Bingo!" the psychologist snapped his fingers. "That's right!! The very dangerous case that was given to the three students of Hope's Peak Academy who followed their tracks like birds to breadcrumbs are done by _**those people**!! _It's quite laughable, isn't it? After all this time, the Future Foundation thought they have gotten rid of all those despairful people but _they sneaked them out of their grasps and become part of their system, their cogs in the wheel!!_"

"_**They became part of**_ _**The Genesis**_...." I completed that horrifying truth. "Under a fake disguise and fake persona, _they managed to fool everyone to commit their crime using the system's advantage to hide them all_...."

"I was very intrigued on how well they managed to take over **_The Genesis_** like that...." Hisao cheerfully applauded. "They went so far as to _**satisfy their hunger for despair, for their own happiness!**_ They make so much effort in order to feed off the despair of the public mourning for these poor souls for the sake of their own satisfaction. It's so inherently terrible that they would lead their lives that way!"

"_So they're just puppets then_....." Hiroshi paled at that thought. "They're just puppets they could messed with, easily disposed and tossed off when they're done with them...."

"Hmm, sort of!!" the psychologist grinned. "Okay! Another question!! Where do you think those missing people ended up at!! Come on, answer it!! _You've seen them before!!_"

_'We've.... seen them before?'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**The Catacombs**...... all of those remains that Renma said was recent.... **they were the remains of the missing people**....."_

"It's really surprising to know that Renma have that skill within him, I was eager to see Kiharu being silly again and licking all those bones to prove that they're real!!" said Hisao. "But you're correct! If everyone remembered, The Genesis bought this island for their so-called_ resort plan_... _**when in fact it was just a dumping ground for their past crimes from public view**_....."

"How the hell did they get away with this!?" Sumire looses her cool immediately, gripping onto her podium as her intensified. "_This plan_.... _these corrupted people_.... there's no way.... there's no way the Future Foundation, Hope's Peak, _fuck_, even the Yumeino Ultimate Academy... there's no way they would turned a blind-eye towards _The Genesis' shady involvement!!_"

"_**Oh, they did**_..." the psychologist smiled, mocking the investigator as he continued. "_**That's the sweet irony of this tragic story**_. These three great, shining beacon of hope that's aiming for a better tomorrow, _**a better future**_,_ didn't know their enemies infiltrated their stronghold_. Sort of like parasites infecting a lion's body from the inside, rotting everything from its organs to its teeth, _**what will be left of these agencies will be nothing but bones of its former glory, for foolishly believing that their happy ending will be that easy to achieve**._.."

"_Nara wants to know why teacher wants to tell us all of this_......" the distorted voice of the controlled-Monomyou started to clear up a bit, Nara's real voice can be heard.... _I can hear her crying_. "_Nara wants to know why teacher is even part of this cruel game... why teacher dragged her friends into this game...._"

"..... I, unfortunately, have an excuse for that which would upset everyone here." Hisao stopped fooling around once he heard the hacker's voice for the first time. "While I really despised Eii for snooping around and sticking his nose into places he shouldn't be at, I applaud for his remarkable imitation of myself just for the hell of it. _**I dislike taking sides**_. _**Black and white**_. _**Hope and despair**_. _**Truth and lies**_. _**Real and fiction**_. They're nothing but convoluted words just to justify yourselves...."

"There's nothing about this can even makes us excused your actions, of what you've done to others...." said Hibiki. "Do you really expect us to say _'thank you for terrorizing us with the death of our friends, please do whatever you like'_!?"

"Ah, pity that you think of me like that, Setsu. Well, can't blame you for that..." Hisao shrugged. "_I don't expect forgiveness neither will I ever be forgiven_. I have accepted that but it will never changed my way of thinking. After all, _**a necessary sacrifice**_ is always a requirement to get something you desired!_** The Genesis **_and I were a bit similar, you see, _we needed a little stimulation to keep ourselves alive! _We refused to be grounded in dirt for something interesting to happened!"

"..... I've been hearing you throwing away such a sorry-ass of an excuse just to cover up the blood you forced onto others to spill and _**all you're trying to say is that you're trying to entertained those people instead?**_" This person is unbelievable... _this son of a bitch!_ "Hey, just where do you think this story will end with? From what I can predict from now, _**you will be the one who's rotting behind bars along with those Genesis people as well**_...."

"Haha! I can't really escape that fate of course!! But...." the psychologist dropped down from sitting on the podium, standing up straight. "... _**I believe you forgot one important detail that even leads to this game from existing**_....."

"One important detail... the whole killing game was... _**the mastermind's idea**_...." Hiroshi answered. "R-Right... _we haven't gotten our answer about that_....."

".... _Teacher_, please tell me......" Seething with rage, Sumire still pleads him for an answer. "Why did I even think of this in the first place? _I don't understand_... I don't understand how I could ended up creating such an atrocity that it even made me gagged...."

"Sumire, unfortunately, that's the question you must come in term with _**yourself**_....."_ that phrasing_, even Eiichi used that way of speaking. "I was quite surprised to see this side of you even exists after the memory wipe.... to think by removing certain parts of memory, a new different personality emerges. _**How bittersweet**_...."

_'It's true.... it really is true that.....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**I knew it, the Hoshino Sumire we knew right now**... **isn't the same person we knew during our time at the academy, isn't she?** Right now, she's just a **nobody**....."_

"She's currently some sort of a stand-in, I supposed...." Hisao explained. "Which is why I specifically call her**_ a thing_**, or _**a husk**_ if you want to be crude. She just mirrored the ideals of the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_ but she's not an exact copy. That's why I got rather fascinating seeing her up-close like this, to think I will get results that happens once in a lifetime is quite exciting!"

Sumire flinched... this is... _this is the exact same thing that's been haunting her._

"Nara, is this true....?" I turned to the hacker in the spy's podium. "You're the only one who still has their memory out of all of us.... is it true that..._ you didn't recognized Sumire when you first arrived here?_"

"Not everything has returned but...." Nara answered solemnly. "Nara always knew Sumi to be... aggressively assertive, she's the ideal of everyone's image of _**a terrifying demon**_...."

"_**Stop it**_...." Hiroshi snapped. "What are you guys talking about? Why are you putting Sumi down like that? Do you seriously buy into that lunatic's explanation for her lost memories like that? _Why are you siding with him!?_"

"Higura, do you really believed that....?" Hibiki asked, tearfully.

"I'm sorry everyone but... _Nara and I have concrete evidences concerning her past_...." I looked at Sumire for any questions but she nodded instead. "But if it really bothers you then...."

( _**ARGUED: Setsu Hibiki & Osame Hiroshi**_ \- _"We will stop you there!!"_ \- )

* * *

"Fine then... we will proved you wrong..." Hiroshi declared.

"The person standing before us, the person we've been calling our friend..." Hibiki continued. ".. has always been Hoshino Sumire!! _There's no mistake there!!_"

"Nara never encountered an error in her memories..." said Nara. "_But she will still try her best to prove innocence even when she's always guilty!!_"

"It's not something you should all accept..." I exclaimed. "_But it's something that you all shouldn't turned away from!!_"

"Taking what that lunatic said as facts will only lead us to our end!!" Hiroshi reasoned. "He's only making us believed that Sumi is the bad guy here!!"

"Sumi has been nothing but helpful to us during the class trials!!!" Hibiki defended. "She even tried her best to stop the murder for even happening!! Even risking her own life trying to stop Eiichi before!!

"Being valiant is something everyone could do, it doesn't applied to her specially...." I replied. "Any single one of us could even be reasonable as to try to prevent another murder, not just Sumi..."

"Survival is a natural instinct, Sumi also wanted to survive as well...." Nara explained. "Plus Nara's memory has no faults, _it is absolute!_"

"Still, he's providing those information **_with nothing to back them up_**!!" Hiroshi shouted. "What if he was lying to get us pinned the blame on her!?"

"We don't know that for sure...." said Hibiki. "_**But there's no way Sumire's that heartless back then!!**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will prove you wrong!"_ -)**

* * *

"No, _teacher_... did already warned us that Sumi wasn't always like this...." I hesitantly bring it up. "Back at the archives, when Monomyou first told us about collecting our past achievements, I tried to find some about Sumi but what I turned up with was_** a case report **_before she entered the academy calling her some sort of demon...."

"I chose that one since the rest of the reports are a bit _scandalous _and _repetitive _so I don't bother...." Hisao leaned against the podium behind him. "The_** Ultimate Private Investigato**_**_r_** are well-known for their aggressive tactics and rather ludicrous methods in meeting ends met for their client! For them to even fool the public with innocent front, _it makes sense why everyone would be afraid of her!_"

"Not only that... there's something else that really proved that she was different before...."

_'**That thing **that I, the only one who witnessed it was.....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"_ _The graduation memory_ _... or at least, **the real one**....."_

"_**The real graduation memory**_...?" Hiroshi's eyes widened. "So the one we received after Nao's trial was a fake one...?"

"I did said it was a test run since I don't know how effective it would be!" Hisao joked. "I'm surprised how effective that kind of technology is with the Ultimates' power!"

"So it's just some _**implant **_then...." feeding us fake memory, what a low way to cover things up. "When Nara tried to power up those sleeping capsules at the Seeker Room, I got shocked and then... _I remember our graduation day_... it was entirely different and Sumi was.... _different_ as well...."

"Hmmm... I guess it awakened that part of you instead, huh? That's interesting!!" the psychologist eyed on me intensely, as if he's trying to examined me thoroughly. "It is just as you said; _the Hoshino Sumire right now is nothing more than a former brute of an investigator!_"

Then... what Eiichi, when he was only known as '_Rei_' back then, was right all along. _**We don't know about Sumi at all.**_ He even asked_ 'who she is to us'_ and we thought of it as nothing more than something to riles us up but... _it turns out_... _**he's been telling us nothing but the truth**_.

"I never thought there would be the day I would witnessed the _**Ultimate Private Investigator **_in its primitive stage!!" the psychologist proudly exclaimed. "It sure did entertained me a lot to see how she will act next!! By just borrowing knowledge from her former self and copying the actions of others to help them escape, _it's sort of like a doll learning to become a human_, isn't it? Her actions were due to everyone's influence; _the desire to leave, to survived and to protect everyone_. It's really easy to see through her viewpoint!! In the end, _**the Sumi right now don't even have a real desire that could even make her being seen as human-like!**_"

_Like a doll operated by someone else's command_.

"... I knew...." Sumire muttered quietly. "I just knew... _from the start that something's wrong_... that I feel like I don't really belonged here.... _or didn't even exist on the same place as everyone else_...." 

"_Disassociation?_ That is pretty common but it is one of the expected side-effects from your memory wipe after all! Or... _possibly not by memory wipe but by another thing_....."

_'That other thing... that's similar to the memory wipe was....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"Something about the **failed Neo World Program plan**, right? Something about** the failure that happened a few months ago**...."_

"It would as seems the error stemmed from there.... I think!!" how is this person still optimistic after revealing such a disastrous truth? "A program which helps to replace memories, the same program that helped bring life to the **_Killing School Trip_**, unfortunately was short-lived and ended in failure! Such ashamed for its five participants!!"

"Five participants...?"

"_I think you all knew who they are by now, right_...? That would give your answer to the mystery which also hid the answer to my secret identity!!"

_'Those five participants were....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"**The Four Instructors of Yumeino Ultimate Academy**... and **Hoshino Sumire**, the **Ultimate Private Investigator**......."_

"Indeed, the failure which claims the lives of the three other instructors...." Hisao jest. "It's something Renma already predicted, right? _Some kind of internal death?_ Well, there you have it!! An answer to your problem!! Only Sumi and I survived that test run, partially though!! Until it was everyone's turn!!"

"H-Hold on... you're saying that as if..._ Sumi wanted that to happened_...." Hibiki caught on.

"Oh? Still reeling from the fact that she's the mastermind? It's a lock-and-loaded truth to this class trial!!" he pointed at Sumire with a grin, who's just staring blankly at him. "In order to even try and trap _**The Genesis**_, trying to corner them. She would do anything to bring them down, _even if it means she has to make a minimal sacrifice or play into their hands!!_ So then everyone, please make a round of applause for Sumi, _who ended up giving up her own humanity in the name of justice!!_"

_She **willingly **joined them_...

_She **willingly **became the _**_Ultimate Despair_**......

In order to solved the case that her mentor clearly pushed onto her, that the Hope's Peak Academy clearly sent those three away to deal with the problem, she did everything she could to take them down..... _**for what exactly?**_ _To feel superior? To finally receive that recognition she's been craving for?_

No matter what, all of this sounds too absurd to believe that.... _**this is reality**_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I finally made a character worth hating on? Find out more in 12, in the morning -


	41. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Im here...... I'm finally here...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What up, I'm Ceryil and I just jinxed myself.

**[ _Class Trial - RESUMED -_ ]**

"_'Two people can't become one as long as the walls of mind and body exists'_..." Hisao mused. "Such a fitting statement for our_** Ultimate Private Investigator **_here, never thought I would ended up quoting_** that wench**_ out of nowhere. But enough of the past, so what will it be? _Does everyone accept the truth behind the pretty little facade that is Hoshino Sumire? **Or **does anyone wants to feigned ignorance a little bit longer?_"

".... There's one thing I would like to know first...." Sumire, who has been quiet the entire time since her... _'reveal'_, spoke up. "Back then.... _**who was the one who came up with this killing game first?**_ _Was I the one who suggested the idea to** The Genesis**? Or did I merely follow that idea by agreeing to be the mastermind?"_

"A little bit of both, by the way, _**you also threatened me to join your little crusade as well along with the other three deceased instructors**_...." Hisao answered simply. "As long as there are no other witnesses to your little destructive plan, _**this killing game will bound to happened sooner or later!**_"

"_T-Then Nara was-!_"

"That's right, **Nara succumbed into a coma for a year because of you**...." Sumire slowly stepped backwards as if she couldn't believed what she's hearing. "To eliminate witnesses and traitors, you would go as far as to kill your own allies over it!! _**Nara's interruption**_ and**_ Eiichi's skills_**, you purposely limited their usage by giving them their disadvantage! _**You made use of the Ultimate Spy's loyalty in succeeding the mission by chaining him down with you**_...."

"_'Stop playing the victim'_, he said....." the investigator muttered under her breath. "So... _everyone's suffering was all _**_my fault_**....?"

"Oh, don't be so shocked, the _**Ultimate Despair**_ are supposed to be that awful, you know?" the psychologist dismissed the horrified look on her face. "But that's not all, you've gotten quite greedy right after _**that failed Neo World Program plan**_ that messed up your head. _**After meeting those two people in that world, you wanted followers of your own**_. _**Like what the Remnants of Despair are to the Former Ultimate Despair of the past**_. _So you hatched another plan that just increases The Genesis's interest in you instead_...."

_'The plan that he's talking about has to be....'_

_.................._

_........._

_"_ ** _The Augmented Despair Plan_ ** _.... that was **Sumi's plan**...?"_

"Indeed, I'm surprised she could even think of one after being mentally messed with!" exclaimed Hisao. "Even the name sounds rather ominous, isn't it? _**The return of a huge-scaled despair disease that would caused yet another tragedy**_. Sounds about right for the Ultimate Despair to came up with!"

"W-Who are those followers....?" Sumire asked. "Did they really.... agreed to this?"

"_**They were indebted to you mostly**_, _for saving their lives or something_. I let them kept their private lives to themselves since I can't bother my students too much or else they will caught onto me back then...." Hisao explained. "But thanks to you, _**The Genesis acknowledged these people for being the next Ultimate Despair**!_"

_'The next Ultimate Despair....? Sumire... is not enough...? But those people, those followers he's talking about... they're.....'_

* * *

**( Non-Stop Debate )**

"They're the next in line to stand on the same pedestal as you are!!" Hisao declared. "**_The next successors of Ultimate Despair!!_**"

"Someone else willingly followed the plan...." Sumire muttered. "_Someone who willingly become the Ultimate Despair... like me?_"

"_Nara doesn't believe that_...." Nara refused. "**_Those people must have been taken in by force_**...."

"Those people who are indebted to Sumi...." Hiroshi wondered. "_Do we know those people?_"

"Knowing that The Genesis are behind those disappearance cases...." Hibiki stated. "_It's likely they got picked at random to be their little guinea pigs_..."

_ **( BREAK! )** _

* * *

"_**The record logs**_...... and _**the list of names that Eiichi kept in the lab coat**_...." _This is so fucking cruel_.... "You two kept those things because.... _**they were the ones who are next in line**_...."

"Makes sense now, does it?" Hisao grinned. "_**Hanabusa Hinako**_,_** Sekiguchi Amane**_, _**Ishimoto Nao**_ and_** Yoshimune Taiga**_ are the chosen ones, hand-picked by the _**Ultimate Despair**! **For the new era of despair**!! Blinded by their admiration towards them, **they will follow despair till the end of their lives**!!"_

_Nao's infatuation with the Ultimate Despair back then..... was our _**key-poin**_**t **here. _At that moment, she was already slowly taken over by despair that the killing game has caused upon her.... she broken down and gave into despair at the very last minute. That's why she was considered _**a success in the record logs**_, _**because she was already overridden with despair**_.

"I've always wondered why the _**Ultimate Despair **_chose those people but in a wide-scaled purpose, it really makes sense!!" Hisao explained. "_**Imagine the effects of a despair-filled song composed by Amane that will filled the street**!!__**Imagine Hinako's terrifying range of the animal kingdom by her side, terrorizing human civilization**!! **Imagine Nao blackmailing politicians into doing the Ultimate Despair's bidding!!**_ And Taiga... well,_ **having amazing accuracy would make him a very good assassin for her**_, don't you think?"

The Ultimate Despair took advantage of their admiration and was going to take advantage of their Ultimate talents, just like what Eiichi did during the killing game to get rid of this... _psychopath himself_.

If we knew back then that it will lead up to this... if we knew we're going to hear all of this awful things that Sumire has done, _**we should have let Eiichi had at him**_.

"But alas, the _**Ultimate Spy**_ has yet caused a domino effect in the killing game...." Hisao clicked his tongue. "Like a coward he is, he indirectly caused their deaths without lifting a finger. His manipulation skills are really top-notched if you witnessed it yourself!!"

"... If he's indirectly killing them then... why didn't that activated his code poisoning thing?" Hiroshi asked. "Wouldn't that already considered a violation against his forbidden action?"

"**_It's a loophole_**, I'm afraid, that's why I can't intervene that much...." the psychologist stated. "They're _**yet **_to be considered Ultimate Despair. _So killing them when they're not the Ultimate Despair yet doesn't count as violation_. Of course, there's Nao who's almost a close call, can't consider her being killed by him since it's a punishment which is pretty necessary to the game..."

"How could you..." Hibiki's shaking from fear and anger. "How could you just say that as if it doesn't matter to you? You killed your own students, the students who you've known for two years.... _are you that heartless?_"

"Me? Initiating the killing? Oh no, no, no!! I'm just a _**spectator **_here for both the_ **Ultimate Despair**_ and _**The Genesis**_, collecting results for their gain!!" Hisao defended. "_**You should direct that hatred towards those two instead**_. After all, _**it's their fault that everyone is in this killing game**_. All the motives were also provided by them as well!"

"**_The motives_**...." Then it suddenly dawn on us, _our families, secrets_ and with the knowledge of The Genesis who's currently outside of our boundaries, _outside of our confinement_. "What did you do to them...? _**You goddamn piece of shit, what did you do to our families!?**_"

"_**Silenced**_, of course...." he answered way too quickly. "_**The Genesis silenced them**_, like what they did to the other missing people's families. Ever wonder why their families didn't come forward and accused that some conspiracies going on with Yumeino Ultimate Academy? Well, _**you can imagined just what happened to them**_..."

There's no way, no fucking way they... _**did that**_. Everyone's families....

"And Hirarin, you said that you remember that graduation day, right? Could you imagined what happened to your family? As well as _The Takara_ and _The_ _Ōtsuki _families, _the three most powerful groups under the ultimate academy's influence?_ When the real Yumeino Luxury Hotel, a trap for everyone to fall into, exploded into pieces...." he grinned maliciously. "_**Could you imagine what happened to them?**_"

"_Rui_..!!" I can't stand it, I unconsciously called out that name, a name no one in this room recognized and acting as my plea for help,_ 'Please... please.... **not him**... please....'_

"Ah, that name...._** how ironic**_, so you're protective of_** that person**_, huh?" Hisao jest. "You're quite an amusing person, Hirarin. Hot-headed, vulgar yet pretty smart if he wanted to show it off..... but once someone pushed the right buttons, _**you immediately broke down**_....."

"_**Hisao, that's enough**_....." Sumire addressed him directly without a care, she..._ doesn't look too well still_. With all the information just dumped onto her shoulders, just increasing her own burdens to carry, it seem as if.... _she's going to go even further_. "..... Alright, I'm convinced..... I truly am the _**Ultimate Despair**_.... or more likely, the most despicable human being to ever graced the land...."

_"Ah!! S-Sumi, Nara doesn't think that you're-!!"_

"_**Please stop making excuses and saying why it's not my fault**_....." her voice is breaking. "This is too much for everyone to deal with and the least they wanted right now is _**for the monster to beg them for forgiveness**_. I think... _I'm too beyond asking for forgiveness at this point_....."

"Sumi... we...." No words, Hibiki can't think of anything to say. Neither does Hiroshi nor Nara, I mean,_ what else can we say_? Even if we keep denying it, the results of the catastrophe that she made still laid there, _clear as day_.

".... _As your teacher_..." Hisao started, as if he's enough with the silence surrounding us. "... _It's for the best you give yourself up, Sumire_...."

"H-Huh?" Sumire was taken back, everyone in the trial room suddenly sprung back to life from hearing that suggestion, in disbelief of what he's saying.

"Like I said, _give yourself up_...." the psychologist repeated himself. "You're a guest who overstayed their welcome. You're a stranger to everyone. You've been saying things that may not be what the real Hoshino Sumire wanted to say. Just a stand-in, an extra or even a ghost itself. _**You're not even a real human to begin with**_...."

_"Y-You!!"_

"Before everyone even stepped in, don't forget our agreement!!" he reminded us. "If all of you found out about my identity...._** the real mastermind should step in**_....."

_Ah._

_That's right._

_We_..... _**forgot**_.

_The real Hoshino Sumire, the **Ultimate Despair**, should have appeared before us once we figured out Monomyou's identity_. Now knowing her own doing, _I couldn't imagine what she will do with us_.....

"Time is ticking, everyone!!" Hisao showed off his watch, indicating the poison bracelet that Sumire and I are wearing. "I know everyone's in low spirits right now but a decision must be made immediately!!"

I checked back the bracelet again, _**two hours left**_. Two hours gone by, being forced to hear the shit that came out of that damned psychopath's mouth. We... _can't afford to waste any more seconds of not saying anything to that demand....._

"So? What are you waiting for?" Sumire seems to regained back some strength within her but for _a whole different reason_. "_**Make it happened then**_. It's a deal, isn't it? _Return my memories,_ and we shall see how the outcome of this trial will ended with...."

"Oh my, are you actually forfeiting your memories you made with everyone here?" He joked but even the psychologist seemed to be surprised by her decision, inside his hand is the same flashlight Monomyou used on us during the end of third trial. "You might not be able to regained back those memories that will be suppressed deep within your consciousness._** You might not be able to see them in the same way as well**_..."

"I'm okay with that. Now that sounds really _**lovely**_ to you, isn't it?" Sumire threw one last glare in there. "I'm willingly giving up myself.... _not only for everyone's sake but_...._ for **myself** as well_...."

"_Yourself...?_" She's trying to make amends... _with herself?_

"_Hinako, Homare, Saku, Kiharu, Amane, Machi, Nao... Renma... Mitsuru... Shoma.... Taiga......** Eiichi**_..." she reminiscences. "Even for a short while, they helped me to get through a lot of things and I'm grateful for them. _I'm grateful that I was able to befriend everyone, to get to know them...._. _Setsu, Roshi, Hira_... _Nara_, as well, thank you for always believing in me... _or at least believe in that good part of me_. I've... never felt so much love that... _it's almost strange really_....."

"_Sumi_......"

".... I'm sorry, I guess I'm still bad with expressing my own feelings even 'till now....." she bitterly laughs, and then ends with a smile. "But I can say this for certain; _thank you for accepting this part of myself and for giving me a reason to live. _No matter what happens after this, how much I've changed... _I just want everyone to know that deep inside, **I'm really glad that I've met every single one of you**_....."

........

_This is unfair._

"So you're really going to give up, just like that?" I'm upset, _so fucking upset_. "You're going to return to being the _**Ultimate Despair**_ after hearing all of that? You really wanted be miserable again!? You must be a masochist for wanting to go through all that shit again!"

".... It's not that pain and misery are the only things I understand....." she shook her head. "It's just that.... _it's the only possibility to get everyone out of this place_, and _it's by my own decision_....... and I want nothing more but the best for everyone else. Call me selfish like you do with Mitsuru but... _I don't mind for everyone's future to exist without me in it_....."

Is this really the right choice you told her to do, _**Eiichi**?_

"Yeah.... I guess you're right... _**you are selfish**_...." I snapped forward. "Which is why we will never forget you, your story of selfishness will go down in history as the most unforgettable shit we ever experienced! Don't you dare think... _we're going to let you disappear off from the face of the earth like that_...."

"I... slightly regretted my decision to hold myself back...." Hibiki chuckles. "I'm really saddened by the fact... we would never have our first duet anytime soon... when we finally get out of this hellish place. _A hymn would have been nice for everyone to hear once we got out_...."

".... _You really are some sort of warrior_, Sumi...." said Hiroshi. "For enduring so much, receiving many emotional scars you've gotten from this bastard's doing here...._ I will never forget about you_, Sumi, never will, _your own story will definitely be admired by everyone_...."

Within the small exchange of _'farewells'_ that we've given to each other, Nara and Hisao just watches the whole scene played out. The psychologist just stood there, quiet while we're semi-mourning. But I can't help staring at his eyes, seeing that they're filled with.... something... _recognition_...?

"Are you done with your little departure party?" Hisao called out to them. "I'm getting really bored, just waiting here. _Really needed some stimulation here to keep myself alive again_....."

"_**Then do it**_...." Sumire demanded. "... Just so you know, _this still doesn't mean you or The Genesis even won yet_. They still won't admit defeat. Their will to survive is much more stronger than you think, they won't be brought down by anything you will say-"

"Sorry but my position as the shit-talker here has already been accomplished..." Hisao smirked. "_**It's your time to tear them down now, dear Mastermind of Ultimate Despair**_....."

We couldn't react fast to what he said there, _his last sentence, _before the bright, engulfing white light scorched our vision. I immediately blocked them out by shielding myself behind the podium and my arms cover my whole face. I couldn't imagined what would happened if it hits other people instead. Once it died down, one by one, we slowly opened up our eyes... widened by the sight of the investigator collapsed onto the ground.

"_Sumi!!_" Hibiki looked like she's about to leave her podium. "W-What happened!? Is she going to be alright!?"

"Of course, she will. Do you really think bringing back a full set of memories will be that easy just like that..." Hisao somehow is sitting down on the floor, in front of the podium, with his legs crossed. "Her brain will need time to adjust so we're just gonna have to play the waiting game for now..."

"Why.... are you on the floor?" Hiroshi asked,_ as if it's the most outrageous thing that happened in this trial so far_.

"_**She**_ would rather have me sitting on the floor...." the psychologist sighed. "_**She **_probably needed some assistance once she's back up....."

"..... _Nara fears for the worst_....." We all looked back at the controlled-Monomyou when the use of its distortion voice is back. ".... _If she's really back then_...."

"Right, you didn't cover your eyes or anything during that flash, huh? My bad for not warning everyone but you all should know by now what it does...." Hisao shrugged. "But perhaps it also affect through the screen as well? That's will be an extraordinary result that I didn't know about!"

"Nara, what are you talking about?' Ignoring the lunatic there, my attention is solely focused on the _Ultimate Hacker_'s words. "What do you mean_ 'for the worst'_? Did you remembered something?"

".... _Nara hopes_..._ everyone is strong enough to face her_...."

"W-Why are you saying like that as if this is some RPG boss battle...?" the previous statement made Hiroshi confused.

Waiting for Nara to say more about the situation at hand, Sumire, suddenly, _sat up straight_. It was so quick that we almost missed it, the fact that she's already awake. Her messy long hair hung freely over her shoulder, the hair-tie being discarded on the floor. Slowly she tried to stood up, forcing herself up as she grabbed onto the nearby podium for support, the moment she glances upwards, her eyes meet with everyone's.... _our bodies froze_.

We're gazing into_ cold, lifeless eyes_..... no gleam in it that could prove this person is even..._ alive in any way_. "... _**Setsu Hibiki, Ultimate Opera Singer**_...." she slowly made her way to the front, begin to list down everyone's names and talents. "_**Osame Hiroshi, Ultimate Abseiler**_...._** Katou Nara, Ultimate Hacker**_..... and _**Mochizuki Higura, Ultimate Graphic Designer**_....."

Once she's approaching the psychologist's place, he immediately leaned forward as if to give her space. The investigator sat on the podium without a care, crossing her legs as she placed her left heel onto Hisao's back, "_**So these are the survivors**_...."

_That's... the same voice I've heard from my graduation memory_.

"You only have yourself to blame for this mess, _dear **Ultimate Despair**!_" the psychologist laughed. "After all, it's all thanks to that little pest you kept with you!!"

"Eiichi, _huh_....." she's really...._slow_. "He failed, _huh..........."_

"W-What the heck...?" Hiroshi cursed. "This is... really not I expected the _**Ultimate Despair**_ to be....?"

"Man, you're still not wide awake, yet? Weren't you eager to come out of your hiding since the first trial? You're too troublesome, Sumi...." the psychologist pulled something out of his coat and before we could even see what he was holding.... he just threw directly at her face. "_Heeeey!_ Wake up already!!!"

"H-Hey!?" Hibiki almost jolted out of her podium. "S-She just woke up!?"

".... _**You got a lot of nerves to do that**_, huh...." the investigator's brows furrowed as she begins to dig her heel deeper into Hisao's back. "_**You rotten corpse**_, even maggots would die just from devouring you!! Do you want to float in that *_**Oukawa**_, huh? I will make sure you drowned for real this time!!"

"Ahahaha! You can't get rid of me that easily!! Those Genesis people really need me, ya' know!!"

"What a waste of air......" Sumire sighed as she glances at everyone again, a confused look replaced her previous livid one. "Huh? Who are you all again?"

"_S-Sumi!! It's me. Nara!!!_" the controlled-Monomyou jumped repeatedly. "_Hnngh, remember?_!"

"_Oh_....." Finally her eyes filled with recognition. "You're actually alive.... I thought you already perished a year ago...."

"_I'm still alive, even back then!!_" Nara replied. "_You were there! How could you forget!?_"

Sumire laughed, a loud, bellowing laughter, as if the fact of her old friend who's standing in front of her, who survived and went through a lot to get to us, the mere fact that she's still alive... _seems like a funny joke to her_. "Sorry, sorry.. I didn't expect your return, that's all.... I was already content with sixteen students participating this game that I didn't really consider you. After all, _you no longer matter to me_, _Nara!_" 

Nara immediately shrink down in fear when she said that, _she didn't expect to hear that out loud_. 

"Ah... _maybe I should introduce myself properly this time unlike the other one_....." Sumire grinned. "_The spotlight that finally landed on the true villain of this game, the name is **Hoshino Sumire, this era's Ultimate Despair, *the beckoning cat of tragedy**, nice to meet you!_" 

.....

_She's here_...

_She really is here_......

The one is Hisao called a _**monster**_, the one that Eiichi called out to be the _**Ultimate Despair**_ and_** the mastermind**_ of the killing game themselves_. **Hoshino Sumire, the Ultimate Despair**..... is here_.

"Hmm, it's been a while since I have to entertained some people so I may be a bit rusty..." she massaged her right shoulder. "My memories is really poor so I can't really remember everyone's faces off the bat! I was hoping to see some faces I expected to see but it seems that failure of a spy even failed that mission!"

Her mannerism... is almost similar to _Mafuyu Hisao, the Ultimate Conman_ that we used to know. Did he really took some inspirations from these two people? "S-So what are you going to do now? Your plan have failed, we know about you and your petty need for recognition with The Genesis and this whole micro-island shit we're on!! _What else can you do from here and out!?_"

"....... I see you've grown a lot since Mitsuru and Saku are killed, that's a plus..." Sumire smiled. "But judging by everyone's extremely unattractive faces of anger and the effects of their closed friends dying.... _I'm gonna have to, hmm, **stay down for now**_....."

"_What?!_" All four remaining people of the killing game.... _didn't expect to hear that_.

"Seriously, you're pulling that shit _now?_" Hisao waved a fist near the investigator's face. "Then what was the deal of me trying to break their spirit, huh!? I did my best and you're just going to stand back and do nothing!? At least threatened them with death or something!!"

"_**You're so noisy**_....." Sumire grabbed onto the psychologist's hand, a strong grip around his wrist. "Like I've said, _**I'm going to stay down for now**_. Because.... _**my own plan already succeeded the moment the first trial has started**_....."

"... What was that....?" _Since the first trial... has started? Her plan was already set in motion...?_ "Y-You mean that _**Augmented Despair Plan**?_ That doesn't make any sense, the people you chose to be the next _Ultimate Despair_ are already dead!"

"I chose them _**because they're more susceptible to experience such tragedy and succumbed into despair immediately**_...." I froze, _that means_.... "..... _**but it doesn't mean The Genesis can easily let you guys off**_....."

"..... _You didn't try to force us to believe we're just going to be victims to those people, who are going to be your followers, in the game_....." Hiroshi realized what she means by that. ".. _**You intentionally tricked us to do this trial**...** that will still win in your **_**_favor_**....."

"Like a _fool's mate!_" Sumire cheerfully applauded. "Well-played, everyone! A well-played game of following the leader like lost little lambs into your impending doom! It doesn't matter what you do or where will you go, as long as the first chess piece is moved,_ **your fate is sealed**!!_"

She... _tricked us from the beginning_.

It doesn't matter if those four people are dead, those who were going to be the next _**Ultimate Despair**_. Because..... _**The Genesis will still use us, the survivors, anyways**_.....

"And I thought I had a better roster of people as well...." Sumire sighed. "That's too bad. Oh well, from here and out, everything will be done by _**The Genesis**_ who will arrive here soon! After all, _they've been watching you guys_...."

"W-Watching us...?" Hibiki glanced around. "You mean.... _**those cameras**_...."

"They're not only for me, you know? Do you know why I acted as the _**Ultimate Despair Host **_to you guys?" Hisao asked, still struggling to free his arm.

"..... _**You showed off the killing game happening here to those people**_....." I answered, my lips quivered a bit. "_**You showed off our progress to The Genesis.**_..."

"For a little stimulation!" finally, the investigator let go of his arm. "I told you so!_ Being brainwashed to feel hope but along with that strong desire to feel despair_... imagine that!! _Feeling that same hope of seeing you guys escaping but only to be dashed away by despair when the same people just kill their own friends with no mercy!_"

"Of course, since _**I am the mastermind of this killing game**_...." she showed off the thing that was thrown as her face, _some sort of controller? _"_**There is a way to escape this hell like every other killing games**_....."

"... _What's the problem, here_..." Nara asked. "_There's no way Sumi would let that chance of freedom be easy like that, that's really unlike her_....."

".... _**Because I don't recommend freedom for you guys**_...." That's the catch here. "If you get out of this place, what will you guys do? Your families could have already been taken away by _**The Genesis**_, _**or they could have been secretly killed at that point**_. If you escaped, _do you think they're just gonna stop it at there?_ No, _**they will chase you down**_... they're going to hunt you down to silenced you off of their involvement. _**No matter where you go or who you asked for help, you will get killed despite gaining that freedom at last**_, _**you're going to be a part of their Ultimate Hunt**_...."

"That's what they called their own version of the mysterious disappearance case, by the way!!" Hisao added in.

"Of course, if you joined their plan to create more _**Ultimate Despair**_...." Sumire suggested. "They won't bother you!! They will let you do whatever you like!! Well, since you're gonna be overridden with despair, there's no doubt you're going to do more harm to the world instead but in a story like this, the good guys of hope will always win! _We will all be taken down by those people which will helped them lead to The Genesis!! _That's a more lovely ending for everyone, right? _**Sacrificing their lives for a happy ending of the whole world again**!!_"

"_**This is the purpose of the Experimental Killing Game, where there will be no survivors in the end**_....."

We've been fighting...._** for nothing at all**_. _**We will all get killed nonetheless**_.

"Well now, I wanna hear your answer right here, right now...." Sumire smiled, that same smile her previous self always show to comfort us. "_**Will you join The Genesis and live happily under them**?_ Or_** leave this island just to hide away in fear of getting caught**?_"

"You're expecting us.... to choose....?"

"This is a game after all... _and a bit of a gamble_...." Sumire commented. "_**But it still doesn't matter what your choice will be, because I still won in the end**_. _Checkmate!_ ♥"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Oukawa = A bit of a kanji-play here; while Sumi might be referring to the Oukawa River in Osaka, she can also be using it to describe a river ditched with rotten corpses. "Which one did she use?" ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> *Beckoning Cat = Possible inspiration for Monomyou aside, she used the name 'Maneki-Neko' here which are ornaments said to bring fortune and luck. She literally said she's a walking disaster which I relate. 
> 
> -
> 
> Just to let everyone know, the Ultimate Development Plan will have to be done after the second installment of the series since I would rather combined both stories into one UDP rather than separating them just for some minor interactions.  
Crossing my fingers for someone to finally hate my characters.


	42. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who will they side with?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have any excuses for doing a double-update other than my computer's dying due to windows update messing things up plus I'm highly-motivated to do something and can't stay still for one second so I finished this chapter too quickly. Also because this chapter is almost over 5k anD I VOWED NOT TO WRITE ANY MORE THAN 5K FOR ONE CHAPTER.

[ **_Class Trial - RESUMED -_** ]

_"But it still doesn't matter what your choice will be, **because I still won in the end!**"_

It doesn't matter what choice we go with... _we will get killed_. _All of this... for **nothing**_. _**Their deaths were for nothing**_, _we endured all the suffering for **nothing**. **Nothing**. **At**. **All**_. "Why.... are you so obsessed with despair... _why did you side with despair in the first place?_"

"Hmph, that again?" Sumire sounded bored, forcing herself to answer that question. "_You asked the same question Nara and Eiichi did back then_, _**charming**_. So I will give you the same answer I gave to them back then; _all of you don't have a choice to begin with. The moment you stepped into the gates of Yumeino Ultimate Academy_....._ there's no chance for you to even get away without a scratch_......"

"_Sumi's_.... _talking about** The Genesis's influence on Yumeino Ultimate Academy**, right?_" Nara asked nervously. "Due to the _**Keiretsu system**_, all information about the students were recorded and accessible by any companies under them for future records and reference. But, because of the system... _**The Genesis already set their targets on certain people as well**_...."

".... Doesn't that mean_ you, Eiichi and Sumi here were also their victims?_" Hiroshi pointed out.... _something he picked up_. "_**Sumi became the Ultimate Despair because of The Genesis**_, right? E-Even if it's a willing request, _she was doing that to bring them down_, r-right? So... _**why would she do this instead?**_"

"... I'm sorry, I'm having trouble remembering if you're this dense before...." the investigator massaged her forehead as a sign of that. "**_It's an indirect cause of action_**. If I can't beat them directly, the most probable thing I can do is _**to let them get destroyed by their own proud work**_. Like I said, the good guys will find out the cause and direct their actions of justice towards the root of evil!"

"And what happened if they don't?" I sternly demanded. "How are you so fucking sure they will do that?"

"_**They have to do it, or else they will be forced to go down the same path the Hope's Peak made before The Tragedy happened**_....." Sumire explained. "If they sweep this incident under the rug, eventually _someone will exposed them_. _**Someone much horrible than Genesis**_._ And the cycle continues until Yumeino Ultimate Academy became the next Hope's Peak Incident all over again_....."

_'That incident she's talking about.... that has to be...'_

...............

........

"You're talking about_ '**The Tragedy Of The Hope's Peak Academy**'_, right? _About the mass suicide of its **Reserve Course Students**_....."

"Did you know that the _Yumeino Ultimate Academy cut the association with Hope's Peak due to those tragedies that came into light?_" The investigator placed her hand onto the psychologist's head. "Even though it hasn't been brought to the public, _**they're not risking in being associated with them that has such a troublesome past**_. After all, it's a bad image for their future alumnus and other business companies!"

"However... _**unknowingly**_... they've let the true villains here inside their system...." Hibiki muttered. "We're here.... _**because of them**_....."

"Hm? Playing the _'blame game'_, again?" She pulled Hisao back by his hair as she tossed him aside, making him stumbled onto the floor. "_**You can point your finger at whoever you want and spew out your excuses about whoever is in fault here**_. It wouldn't matter much because_** your fate has already been determined once those academies deemed you as Ultimate students**_...."

_ _

_**Our talents**_.

_The Genesis wanted to spread **despair**.... **through our talents**_.

_A sorrowful and despair-filled song sung by the **Ultimate Opera Singe**r._

_The suspension of all the victims' bodies to make others learn their place by the** Ultimate Abseiler**._

_The hijacking of all networking system to spread a despairful message by the **Ultimate Hacker**._

_And a hypnotizing image of the tragedy designed by the **Ultimate Graphic Designer**._

Even others before us; _**fencer**, **archaeologist**, **aerobat**, **librarian**, **medium **plus **mortician **as well, **cosmetologist**, **marine biologist** and a goddamn **spy **to top it all off_. _Our fate were all..... **pre-determined**. I can see everyone's faces on verge of giving up...._

_**There's no escape for us**....._

"Huh, everyone has gotten quiet all of the sudden..." Sumire hummed out a response. "Ah, I see, it's this the _**final defeat**?_ Disappointed but I will take it anyways. If only you guys stopped resisting then this trial would have gone by a lot more easier and it would have less painful to deal with than it is right now...."

"They just have to swallow down a spoonful of sweet poison now, do they?" Hisao snickers as he now standing behind the same podium that Sumire is sitting on. "A decision with no exits, a decision with no future.... _**that's the fate you've decided for them**_, _**Ultimate Despair**_..."

"_**Then we refused that fate**_....."

Sumi's eyes narrowed, "_**What was that?**_"

"_**Nara**.... **refused that fate**_....." the controlled-Monomyou's distorted voice and Nara's real voice combined together. "Nara refused the fate where no one's happy! _**Nara believes in a possibility where everyone will lived on to see another day for themselves!!**_"

_A .... **possibility**?_

"You still don't get it, you cuckoo machine...." Sumire gritted her teeth. "If you reject that fate then you will only make your life even worst. Even in death, you will still be able to helped the Future Foundation to crack down _**The Genesis**_ themselves. If you don't..... _**they will never catch them**_....."

"_**That doesn't matter to us**_...." I spoke up clearly. "That doesn't matter to us because _**that's your problem**_. I believe in what Nara said, _**I believe in a possibility where we don't have to run away from everything**! So stop forcing your goddamn problems onto us, you slimy bitch!"_

The investigator dropped down and landed on both feet, "So you want a _**final showdown**_, huh?_**The Genesis's Despair** against **The Ultimate Students' Hope**? Is that how we're going to end this trial?_"

"Don't you dare fucking grouped us as part of the past' mistakes!" I snarled at them. "The Genesis wouldn't exist if those two things wasn't such a big fucking deal!_**We're fighting for our survival instead**!_ _**Our wish to survive**!_ That's all what matters to us! _**It's our fate to choose and we're choosing to survive through this bullshit**!!_"

"Fucking hell, he actually lost it...." Hisao stared at the situation going awry. "_I thought this would be enough to break their spirit, not to lose their mind_..."

"....._** Interesting**_...." the Ultimate Despair grinned. "_Do you see this, **people of Genesis**!?_ This is the true opposition to despair! This is what we all have been lacking!! _A will to survive, a will to live on!! This.... **will determined everyone's future as well**!!_"

"The Genesis are watching us, right? _**Those fucking creeps**_...." I threw one last insult in there. "_**They're deciding our fate**_, right? _And you will have to listen what they wanted you to do, right?_"

"I may be the mastermind but I'm not their leader so pretty much like that!" Sumire nodded. "Oh!! _You want me to modify the trial's rules to suit our final showdown more accurately_, right?"

"What's with this casual conversation,_ so unpleasantly unnecessary_...." The psychologist sighed.

"As punishment for using us as fucking stepping stones for you to bring them down... _**how about we rip The Genesis and your hardwork off for that despair they've been craving**?_" I suggested. "If we win, _**you and that fucking tyrant over there give up on this killing game and take on the punishment**_...."

"Ohhh, a revenge that's served best with a cold end.... _**I like that**_..." Sumire chuckles. "But if I win, _which is more likely since The Genesis is on the side of despair_, _**you take the punishment and the killing game will have a normal end**!_ After all, the rules of the killing game did mentioned _**it will end when there's two people left**_ and Nara is considered an intruder so I will be kicking her off!"

"_Stop pushing Nara aside, she's still part of the class!!_" Nara whined. "Nara will help Hira in this class trial!! _It's two against two!!__**Genesis against Survivors**!!_ _We will win our friends' trust in that possibility for a better future... and_ _**we will win over those troublesome Genesis people who sees that possibility!!**_"

"Urgh, I never count the slim chances of those people falling for hope this easy...." Hisao looks troubled. "Hey, this is sort of tricky. _**You think you can really enticed your watchers with the despair you created?**_"

"Hm, _the despair that I created?_ No, no,_** I merely inherited this despair from those people I met in the Neo World Program**_....." more allies? But, it sounds like _**they don't exist anymore**_. "_**They gave me their predictions**_ for this trial's outcome..._** all I have to do is diverge from their expectations**_...."

"I don't trust their methods all that much since _**they're just a copy of the real ones**_ but suit yourself...." Hisao shrugged. "I'm not interested in fighting for anyone's benefit but I will surely get killed if I don't side with you..."

"_**Coward**_.."

"_Fuck off, will you?_"

Nara and I won't lose, we won't give in to their demands. Eve if it's Sumire, even if it's our friend who we knew before all of this despair shit happening. Even if the Sumire we knew was just a facade for this killing game to lead us astray....._ leading us_... _astray_? _**Wait a second**_.....

"Enough with this meaningless banter!" Sumire declared. "This is the final climax of the class trial!! _**To side with The Genesis or to side with the Survivors**! **Do your best to entertained your viewers, dear performers**!!"_

_Hibiki and Hiroshi... they've been through a lot.... Amane and Taiga wouldn't wanted them to fall into despair when they're this close to freedom, towards that future they will never get to experienced. Their wish for us to survive.. **I won't let them go to waste**!!_

( _**ARGUED: Katou Nara & Mochizuki Higura**_ \- _"We won't back down now!!"_ \- )

* * *

Hibiki's figure shook, her wide eyes just stared down on the floor, "Even if we go back.... _what's the point? What's the point of going outside if we're going to get chased down? Our families are gone__ and we couldn't even trust anyone's words if we get out of here!!"_

"_We don't know for sure if they're killed or not!!" _Nara argued. "For all we know, they could be lying to us!! You can't give into their words! _**Setsu's family could still be out there, waiting for her return!!**_"

"_**Return to where?**_ If we returned, _**they would know that we're being targeted by such a dangerous group**_....." Hibiki sneered. "They will turned their eyes away, _**they will surely turned away from us**!!!_ They don't want to deal with that problem! They don't want to get mixed into it! No matter,_ **they will only care for their own survival**!!!_"

"If it comes to that then _**would you really die because of that**?_" I asked.

"_H_-_Huh?_"

"If they really turned away like that, _would really think your life is over because your family doesn't care about you?_ That you think it's better to leave you alone to fend for themselves?" I demanded. "If you think nobody would care if you died then _what do you think Amane has been doing throughout this whole killing game!? _For a pretentious asshole we first saw him as,_ he cares a lot about you than you think!** He cares about you as a person**_, if he doesn't then he wouldn't distanced himself from you when he got your secret motive!"

"_Amane is_......"

"He scolded you before for falling into Monomyou's trap...." I reminded her. "Do you want that to happened again? Do you want to face him again for doing the same mistake? _For falling for the same lie?_ _**He did his best to try and survive this killing game, and he wanted you to do the same as well!!**_"

"He... _**wants me to **_**_survive_**...?"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ \- )**

* * *

"..... I've always thought we would be goners once this killing game has started...." said Hibiki. "I've always thought Amane is nothing but just an annoying fly who keeps hovering over, just to seek for my own validation _**but**_...... _he's still the same person who helped us during the class trial** even in death**! Even if he knows his fate was sealed the moment he worked with his killer!_ If he's really that self-absorbed who only liked me for my own talent, _**he wouldn't do all of that!**_"

"_What on earth_..?" Hisao leaned closer just to witnessed the moment himself. "Is he really gonna.... _snapped them out of their despair_...?" He looked at Sumire, expecting her to interrupt them but she just stood there, watching everything unfold.

"_His self-sacrifice_, I'm not going to let that be a waste!!" Hibiki decided. "_I will live, **I will live on his behalf**_. If it's too late for me to recognized his true feelings then _**the most I can do for him is to live through whatever bullshit I have to deal with**_. And.... _**I will dedicate this song of victory to him**_, _his own work will be heard by the masses who will recognised him!!_"

"_Nara will make sure his work will never go unnoticed!!_" Nara cheered for her recovery. "An artisan like him.... even his own lingering soul around Hibiki will immediately go to heaven once people recognized his name!!"

"Him? Being my guardian angel...?" Hibiki laughed at that statement. "No... _**he is my inspiration**_, his effort to keep putting me in such a high pedestal made him really blind. _**He is everyone's muse to keep going forward and never look back**_....."

"Shockingly, _**the weakest of the bunch reignited her will**_...." Sumire commented. "You're putting your own trust into some self-absorbent composer who you never acknowledged even once before.... and not only that, _**you're willingly to live by the words of a complete stranger in your life?**_"

"Not just his words, _**everyone else's as well!!**_" Hibiki answered with strong determination. "Homare, Hinako and everyone before us, _**we will live by their words and carry their wishes outside of this hellhole!**_"

"_Hibiki_....." _An **opera singer **who cries out a song of victory for the fallen ones_, that's very theatrical-esque, isn't it? Appropriate considering we're being watched here..._ one more person... to win over._

.._** Osame Hiroshi, Ultimate Abseiler**_....

( _**ARGUED: Katou Nara, Mochizuki Higura & Setsu Hibiki**_ \- _"Don't lose to despair!!"_ \- )

* * *

"_It's over... it's over, isn't it?_" Hiroshi pleaded. "Please just stop it already, I'm tired of fighting, _**I'm tired for fighting for something that's already impossible to win in**_. I keep fighting for everyone's sake but... _**there's nothing to even fight for in the first place!!**_"

"You're wrong, _**there is still one last fight you can win in!**_" Hibiki refuted. "This is that last fight! If we keep our guards up, if we keep reaching for that better future, _**we can still win this!!**_"

"A better future? _**Why didn't that chance come any sooner!?**_" Hiroshi yelled. "_When everyone's still alive!! When Kiharu and Taiga were still alive!!_ _**Why do we have to decide that now when everyone we know are already gone**!?_"

"_**Do you really believe they're gone**?_" I asked. "_**Are your memories with them inside your own head means nothing to you?**_ Do you think the playback machine inside your head kept those memories _'just because'?_ Even if they're gone physically,_** those memories we have with them will keep their spirits alive no matter what!**_**_!_**"

"W-What are you saying....." Hiroshi was taken back. "T-There no way.... _**t-there's no way I can decide that**_....."

"_**Your life is more precious than you first thought**_....." Nara comforted him. "_No matter how many scars you bear, no matter how bruised your body is_, even if you see yourself as someone who doesn't matter in the end, _**your very own existence still made a huge impact on other people's lives**_. Even to those who are deceased now, they still think of you as part of the reason for making lives worthwhile! _**Those memories were precious to them, so do the same for yours as well!**_"

"**_Memories of them_**....."

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ \- )**

* * *

"I'm still bitter about everyone not being able to survived through this killing game, _even though it's too late to lament about it now_....." Hiroshi decided. "But then.... _they were all fighting for their last moments_, right? Mitsuru, Taiga, Shoma.... they were all fighting for their life even if it's inevitable. I was quite envious of them... _**for them to still be holding onto that fleeting chance of survival as they died**_....."

"And you're saying that this situation is nothing like theirs?" Sumire asked. "You have that chance to survive but they don't have it,_they were forced to deal with it_._ **Do you really think that's fair to them?** **Do you really think they will look at you with welcoming eyes and not with resentment once you see them again?**_"

"No, it's unfair.... _**but this whole fucking killing has been unfair and unjust to us anyways**_....." Hiroshi glared. "_So forget about forfeiting our lives just to win some meaningless feud between hope and despair!_ _I'm fighting for those who didn't managed to survive this meaningless killing game!! _Even if you tear me from limb to limb, even if you tear out my throat so that I couldn't scream, _**I will still wanna live for those people, whose memories I wanted to keep alive!!**_"

"_You will surely die from that, nonetheless_...." Hisao gritted his teeth. "So you're still going to be that bonehead who goes with the flow then? That will surely become the death of you if you keep on chasing after such a childish wish...."

"_**At least there are still others who admired people with those childish wish**_....." the abseiler fights back. "Because those people never gives up, even when everything became too painful for them to continue, they still never give up until they achieved that dream. _**They inspired others to do the same**_.... _**and I want people to see that I'm not giving up either!**_"

_An **abseiler **who took a leap of faith and landed without a scratch, because the memories of their closest friends took away that heavy burden. _It fits him, doesn't it? Break him however you like, _you will never break that spirit of his_.

_Now, what's left is-_

( _**ARGUED: Hoshino Sumire & Mafuyu Hisao**_ \- _"Drowned in despair!!"_ \- )

* * *

"Alright, I had enough of ignorant children yapping their lives away...." Hisao clicked his tongue. "Ignorance is bliss but if ya' seriously gonna keep that survival bullshit with your lives still on the line, _**then you need to seriously rethink what you're saying!**_"

"_I admired your tenacity to keep pressing on_...." Sumire glared. "_**But I won't ignore such a grave mistake in your way of thinking**_....."

"_Hnng, Nara doesn't want to talk back to this person who have Sumi's face but Nara will try to do her best!!_" Nara decided.

"Yeah.... even though she has a our friend's face...." I will not backed down now! "_**But she still has that personality of such a rotten bitch!**_"

"Foolish believing that the outside world will accept you with welcoming arms?" Hisao started. "Don't get me started on that!! _The outside world will surely be in ruins once they know all of you were victims of the **Ultimate Despair**!!_ _**They won't believe a shit about what you have to say if they knew despair is still spreading!!**_"

"_To even place that trust so blindly in others_...." Sumire continued. "_**Didn't that happened with Mitsuru and Saku?**_ Didn't you trust them to not murder anyone? Didn't they betrayed your trust for their own personal gain? _**Is it wise to do it again this time? Just how much of it will be different?**_"

"Hey, _**what makes you think your plan with us is a lot more different than what those two did!?**_" I answered. "_They wanted to survived, you wanted us to die for a cause we don't give a shit about! _One of those two things makes a lot more sense for anyone to agreed with!!"

"_**The Future Foundation will help us!!**_" Nara replied. "The Future Foundation helped everyone out of their lowest moments during The Tragedy, so they will do the same to us as well!! No matter what, _**The Future Foundation will help anyone out of their despair!!**_"

"The Future Foundation!?_** Those idiots who let The Genesis get away in the first place!?**_" Hisao shouted. "Don't make me laugh! _**If they knew about this, they will surely sweep that info under the rug like they did with other previous incidents!!**_ They wouldn't even let me raise my voice against that action! _**What makes you think they will treat this entire killing game any different!?**_"

"And what makes you think you will surely live once you stepped onto the outside world?" Sumire asked. "_**What would happened if The Genesis was in front of that exit?**_ _What would happened to your survival wish?_ _**Do you really think they will let you live just because you chose to live out your life, not in despair?**_"

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"We will cut through your delusions!!"_ \- )**

* * *

"**_The Genesis are cowards to begin with_**......" I've just realized that. "They needed their very own _**Ultimate Despair**_ to look up to because they can't even satisfy their own problem!! They went through a bunch of shit just to keep themselves entertained and cause the lives of all those innocents souls in that catacombs!! Not only that...._** they forced the three students from Hope's Peak Academy who supposed to stop them to take part of their little ploy**_....."

Sumire's hand twitched, "_**What did you say?**_"

"....._ Nara believes_..._ Sumi doesn't want to hurt anyone_...." Little by little, Nara's true voice started to break through Monomyou's robotic voice, a serene-sounding voice can be heard instead. "_Because Nara **remembers**_.... _Sumi wanted to take **The Genesis** down no matter what_..._ but even back then_... _even if she got called a monster because of how ruthless her methods are_..... _**she will never involved anyone in her plan that would caused harm to them**_...."

"_**Shut**_. _**It**_" Hisao looks pissed off. "With only a year worth of memories, do you still think that statement still holds that much truth to it? _**You were afraid of her when you first saw her true colors so which one is the real truth here?**_"

_The real truth is...._

"_**My intentions are clear as day**_......" Sumire explained. "This is a cat-and-mouse game between me and The Genesis, _to see whoever won in their favour_-"

( _**ARGUED: Mochizuki Higura**_ \- _"That's where you're wrong!!"_ \- )

* * *

"_You're wrong_... you didn't start this game because you're in feud with _**The Genesis**_ to begin with....." I refuted. "_**You were in this situation because you have no other choices**_, isn't that right?"

"_**What did you just said**_....?"

"I..._ have a feeling that you weren't leading us astray_...." I explained. "You made a killing game _**without a choice**_,_** without a reason**_ for us to even want to leave. _**And for what?**_ To die for a cause that we were indirectly involved in? _Despair or not_, that detail.... is too fucking off...."

"_Off for what?_ _**It's a game designed to make fell into despair regardless of the consequences**_..." said Sumire. "Gambling your lives away while leaving some for them to make good use of... _**are you really going to ignore that detail**?_"

"_Siding with despair just to make yourself crash and burn to see them rot_.... _**that sounded way too familiar to me**_...."

"... _Tch!_"

"Even before becoming the Ultimate Despair, you still have good intentions... but because of that despair, _**your own judgement got clouded thanks to The Genesis**_...." _She's still the same person_... "That failed Neo World Program Plan already proved to us that something went wrong and _**you're the result of that failure**_. But that's wrong... _**that failure was exactly what you wanted to happened, wasn't it?**_"

"_**Enough of that!!**_" She snarled. "What are you saying?! Are you saying I'm some sort of martyr who wanted to die just for a good cause!? _**What kind of bullshit reasoning is that?!**_ _**If I die just because I'm the Ultimate Despair, then I will just die because of it**! It doesn't matter if I have a choice or not, it doesn't fucking matter if I have to prove myself that I'm good or not. **If the whole world wanted to see me as their fucking villainous monster for wanting something, then so be it, I will be their enemy just so I can get what I wanted!!**"_

**( _CUT-IN!_ \- _"My words against yours!!"_ -)**

* * *

"I'm not excusing your actions _**because I know how to fucking think rationally**_, you're truly the most diabolical person and I don't even know _if the former Ultimate Despair is more horrible than you_....." I'm going to sound like an idiot for saying this. "... Hey, Sumi... _you're in there?_"

"..._ What are you talking about?_"

"Everyone's not giving up.... so you shouldn't as well...." I smiled. "Hey, I'm talking to you, _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_... or.... _**the doll-like facade of the Ultimate Despair?**_ _Yeah, that's the one I'm talking to_...."

"Hira, what are you... doing exactly?" Nara asked, obviously confused by my intentions.

"You know, even though the Sumi we knew was just a puppet for the _**Ultimate Despair**_ to use to fool us....." I exclaimed. "I witnessed it myself how that same puppet.... _**learned to have a heart**_.... she learned how to cry, laugh, get mad at someone and most importantly.... _**she learned how to believe in someone else completely**_. _**She has more of a heart than the Ultimate Despair could have had**_....."

_'What a shitty logic I put out here'_, well, at least the real psychologist here is too stunned to even correct me now.

"This isn't _four against two_, but rather _**four against three**_....." I won't forget about her, _a separate identity from the **Ultimate Despair**_. "_How uneven is that?_ There's one more participant and she didn't get to say anything or even show herself.... so that's why..... Sumi, if you're the puppet that truly have a heart, _**then you should be able to think for yourself and decide where we belong**_. We know you're stronger than this _**Ultimate Despair self**_....."

Clenching her first, the Ultimate Despair before us is seething with rage, the same rage that will eventually builds up as this frustrated trial keeps dragging on for one side to admit defeat. _Until_.....

".... _**Goddamn**_.. _**this fucking piece of shit!**_"

Without a warning, Sumire threw some sort of remote controller, that Hisao threw at her earlier, and smashed it into the ground, obliterated into small pieces of circuits and other electronic stuffs. After a short while, she seemed to have registered what she has done, her eyes widening once all her sense came back to her, "_What the...?_"

"_Ah_..!"

"What's wrong, Nara?" Hibiki looked over to the broken down Monomyou. "Did something happened at your side?"

"_The connection_... _is open_..." Nara revealed. "_Nara_... _finally found everyone's location!! Nara will send the coordinates over to **the Future Foundation** right immediately! They're on their way, everyone!!_"

"_The Future Foundation?!_" Hisao grabbed hold onto the podium for support after the shock of what he witnessed. "_**You've been recording this whole trial and showing off to them!?**_"

"_That's right!!_" Nara-inside-Monomyou's body triumphantly posed. "_That's what you get for tossing Nara aside!! Nara can be mega-useful if the moment is right!!_"

"That's great!!!" Hiroshi cheered. "If the connection weren't blocked then that means..!"

"_**That connection wasn't under the mastermind nor teacher's control though**? That's what Nara doesn't understand when she first connected to this Monomyou here!!_"

"_That means_...."

"_**Genesis**_...." Sumire was looking at her hand, the same hand that threw the controller prior. "_**Genesis**_... _**let them took control**_. Which means.... _**the people of Genesis sided with the survivors**_....."

"H-Hey, Sumire....? _Why did you threw that brainwashing controller to the floor?_" Hisao asked, now we know the purpose of that thing he threw at her. "T-That was supposed to be our last minute resort, wasn't it?"

"_**I didn't**_..."

"Huh?"

"I said...." She's still staring at her hand. "_I didn't want to throw it_.... but... _**I still did?** What the hell_...?"

Then..._ it's decided_. "You know what that means..... _**it's two against five, with your own previous self going against your wish**_._ This game won in Genesis' favour_.... _**to let us leave this island**_. _This_... _**is the choice they've decided for themselves**_......"

"You just have to make one last impression like a dramatic protagonist... still, _thank you for siding with us until the very end_, _**Sumi**_...."

Dumbfounded by the results, the Ultimate Despair slowly broke down into laughter, the whole room echoed back her own sound of defeat, "I can't believe this!! All of those things I've planned out from the beginning... _**ended in such a bullshit fashion**!?_ That's so laughable!! _So laughable that I would literally kill everyone here if it weren't for those rules!!_"

Alarmed by her last sentence, it took Sumire a couple of moment to recollect herself to say something, with that wide smile on her face, "Fuck it, that was the most entertaining trial I've ever witnessed. _Congratulations, everyone,** you all, for some goddamn reason, won over The Genesis' heart without a doubt**_...." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, we're approaching the end now, that's neat.


	43. Chapter VI: Curtains Call! ACT VIII & Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Applause for the last act of the story!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up!! There's an afterwords and extra miscellaneous chapter that will be posted today as well!  
I just combined the last part of Chapter VI and Epilogue into one chapter because they're very short!

_It's over_....

_It's finally over_....

.........

The killing game we were forced to participate, losing our close friends in the process, has finally come to an end, with _four_... _no_, _**five survivors**_. _The Genesis_ may sided with us but they're still going to hell for their crimes and the Future Foundation are on their way to rescue us, possibly arresting the Genesis people if they're around on this island.

All of the pain and suffering is finally over.... _**for now**_.

"_Nara's so glad!!!_" The battered-looking Monomyou jumped onto my back out of sheer excitement. "_Nara will be able to see her friends again in person!! Nara has a lot of stories to tell her friends about what has done for the past few days!!_"

_Nara, _who was comatose for a year and the first thing she did when she woke up was came to our rescue with the help of Eiichi from the inside of this place. I'm amazed by her strong will.... _but I'm also very wary of that coincidence_.

"Nara, Hira's back will really ache if you do that..." Hibiki picked up the broken robot. "... Hira... we did it... we can finally leave this awful place..."

"We can finally see our families again!!" Hiroshi came to our side. "We get to tell the Future Foundation about what _**The Genesis**_ did to us!!"

I don't think that's necessary. Since Nara recorded the whole trial from the beginning, they would get the gist of it, that will save us the time we needed to rest from all this shit we've been hearing and witnessing. It's really surreal. We're finally... _going home_. But... _**I'm still not satisfied**_.

"There's something else I wanna ask...." I turned to the mastermind and the psychologist. "Just... _who the hell are you guys?_"

"Hah? We've been clashing with words and that's the last question you're going to ask us?_ You gotta be shitting me_...." Sumire sighed, obviously annoyed by their loss. "There's nothing new that I can present here so I'm stuck with being known as the _**Ultimate Despair**_ and _**Hoshino Sumire**_ for now. And this corpse here is just that typical crazy psychologist teacher, don't even bother asking him anything else...."

"_I'm wounded_...." he said that so sarcastically. "Although, _I am curious why Hira would even want to ask that kind of question right now_...."

I can call this as some '_investigator's intuition'_ that I got from all those time I spent looking for clues along with the _Ultimate Private Investigator_, those moments made me a lot more observant now. _A clear-cut memory and an itch to find some answers_, not a bad combo, actually.

"I'm talking to the _**demon **_here...." I looked at Sumire's direction. "Just how much of it is true? I find it hard that people would willingly call you that yet still let you get away with whatever shit you pull back then...."

_If she's really that dangerous then why was she chosen to take the disappearance case in the first place?_

"... So you wanted _**that kind of story**_, huh..." Sumire smirked. "Look through the history all you want, _**you won't get a satisfying answer out of it**_. _I merely played out the role everyone wanted to see and what I wanted to do_. Everyone's the protagonist of their own story and they all wanted to feel good about themselves. However, in doing something good for themselves... _doesn't necessarily mean they're doing something good for others in their perspective_...."

"Ah, I see...." I get what she means by that at least. "Then are you really the _**Ultimate Private Investigator**_...?"

"_**That's none of your concern**_...." She's upset that I brought it up, it's still a touchy subject. "Anyway, what are you getting out of me here? You've already won, there's nothing left for you to know about _**The Genesis**_, _**Ultimate Despair**_ or_ even this reanimated corpse here_..."

"_I have a name, you know?_" Hisao told her.

"Why... _did you joined Genesis exactly_?" Hibiki came forward with Nara in her arms, still keeping her distance from the _Ultimate Despair_. "Even as an inside job, it's still weird that you would even managed to do all this _while avoiding the big three from interrupting your work_...."

".... _Nara_...." Sumire called out to the hacker. "When you searched through the administrator room,_** you found something else**_, did you?"

"_Ek!? How did Sumi know!?_"

"Ah, I don't care_, I'm getting really tired of this and I just wanna fall into a deep sleep_... so do whatever you want with _**that thing you stole from us**_..." she scratched the back of her head. "Seriously, that trial really ate away my energy... _now I can't make such a dramatic ending to this story_....."

"You're treating this whole killing game like it's some sort of play to you...." said Hiroshi. "I get that The Genesis is watching this whole thing but.."

"Oh, do you really think the people I mentioned who were supposed to be here are _**The Genesis**_ people themselves? Those were merely their subordinates who handles this island's operation...." Sumire explained. "_**The real Genesis people is still out there and has already recorded this whole killing game for their next operation**_...."

"They're still going!?" Failure after failure, those people just won't give up on achieving _**true despair**_. "W-Why on earth would they still keep doing this!?"

"I'm just their actor who acted out the play they wanted so I don't know all the details but....." Sumire pointed at Nara as she continued. "Actually, the Future Foundation is still watching this, right? Let me send them a little message; _'No matter what you do or what you guys have done, **you guys will never achieve true hope for the future either**. As long as there's still people who foolishly made a mistake that leads to The Genesis's creation, **everyone will still experience hardship and fear no matter what**. Let this be a warning to you, Future Foundation,** the moment you feel comfortable with your current living situation is the moment the despair continues to quietly grow without you noticing**.....'_. Alright! That's all!!"

"_T-That's so vague!?_" Nara cried out. "_W-Why must the Ultimate Despair say that!? They could have taken that as a threat, you know!!_"

"I'm not the one who wanted to say it. I could have said something much more vaguer than that just to get a kick out of your desperate reactions but...." she clicked her tongue as she looked away. "_It's just **her **wanting to say that_. But _**she's **_not wrong though, people like them will always make a comeback no matter how deep they've fallen. _**They will never stop in achieving that true despair they've been craving for**_...."

"..... _How is she feeling?_"

"_**Disgustingly glad**_...." Sumire frowned. "I have no idea what you guys see in someone like _**her**_. That kind of attitude is easily disposable, you know? _**She's** really annoying for me to hear all the time_...."

"She's annoying, yes... _but that's what we admired about her_. That kind of forward-thinking that always lead her into some dangerous situation...." The Sumi we knew was reckless, that's one remarkable thing we've learned about her. "No matter how much hardship she faced or how much pain she endured, _she still does all of those really dangerous things for our survival_. Like you've said before, people wanted to be happy with their life but_** Sumire was never happy with her life**_... _**and you weren't clearly happy about it**_..."

"_**Spare the pity**_, it's annoying to be treated like a brat...." The _**Ultimate Despair**_ and _**Sumire**_ doesn't share the same ideals, but they still share the same emotions they've felt from their past. "Your attitude towards us is more humiliating when we're still under _The Genesis's eyes_...."

"It's one thing to treat us like villains, which is more favorable...." Hisao sighed. "However, it's an entirely different thing to even feel like you guys are looking down on us and expected for us to accept that pity of failure. _This ain't the time where you decided we should live as well_...."

"W-Wait, what does that mean-" Suddenly the ground shook, the walls of the trial room slowly cracks as bits of the ceiling falls down, almost hitting some of us in the head. "_W-Wait, what's going on here?!_"

"_**We failed**_, that's the end results. _And** this is our punishment**_...." Sumire twirled around at the direction of Monomyou's throne. "It's another extremely extravagant way for the villains of the story to be killed, right? Which is why I'm so glad that I can be killed in such a way!"

The whole island, the whole hotel resort is going to get blown into pieces. That's the _**Ultimate Punishment**_ for this trial._ A final goodbye to the class trial_. "T-They're willing to bury you like this!? I thought you're their Ultimate Despair!? The one who will make them fall deeply into despair!?"

"_**I'm a defective**_, you see...." Sumire walked over to the throne that Monomyou used to sit on, now it's occupied by the true mastermind of the game. "_**And they don't have time to fix and deal with defectives**_. They're plucking favourites so if we failed, they will just search for more suitable candidates..."

"You all should leave if you really want to survive..." Hisao sat down on the floor next to the throne. "You're going to make the Future Foundation really pissed off if they came all this way here just to find some idiots, who wanted to survive, got buried under the rubble for the second time...."

"_And you're fine with being killed like this?_" Does this really counts as punishment for them?

"Not everything in life is fair to begin with..." She smirked. "Like I've said before, we have no choice once we've stepped onto the grounds of that _**Ultimate Academy**_. However, since I'm feeling.... '_**nice**_' for once. _Let me give you a little advice_..."

"What advi-"

"_**Don't **_**_apologised_**...." She cuts me off. "_When everyone gets out of this place, Nara will tell you everything, she will give you back the missing memories. When that happens, **d**__**on't ever show remorse towards us**. Never, ever forgive the **Ultimate Despair**, never show that guilty cloud hover over your head.** You will only embarrass yourself**_'..."

"I-I don't really get it...?" Hiroshi confessed. "Why would you want us to do that? What you guys did aren't really easy to be forgiven...."

_I knew it_, there's something else that Nara refuses to tell us. Something that she will tell after we get out of here.

"_**The Ultimate Despair**_ and_** the Survivors representing Hope**_ are supposed to be _**enemies **_to the public's knowledge..." explained Sumire with a bored expression. "The Future Foundation will obviously twist our story to make us seems like we're the ones who's behind the kidnapping to avoid a mass panic attack since we will die here. There will be riots if they found out about the truth and_** The Genesis**_ could have taken advantage of that, you know? So use your brain and _**don't treat us as if we're even good to begin with**_..."

Sumire is really hell-bent into thinking the Future Foundation is going to keep this incident under cover._ Would they seriously do that?_ Even if it's to avoid another tragedy but to do as far as to never tell them the real danger that has been lurking under their noses all these years is just too risky.

"Now leave, I'm tired at looking at everyone's rotten faces!!" Sumire sat on Monomyou's throne. "_**Don't embarrass yourself for pitying the villains of the story**_...."

Without needing to say anything else, Hibiki, Hiroshi and Nara already went ahead, taking a shortcut that the hacker found that's connected to the secret passageway and towards the direction of mysterious door under the rose garden.

_I stayed behind, however_, ".... All of this for... an ending where none of you get to live._ Are you seriously happy about that? _There's something really wrong with your head if you guys are...."

"I have no interest in living for something that no longer gives me that stimulation I needed...." the psychologist leaned against the throne's golden armrest. "If there's none of that anymore then I'm better off buried underground, _it's no different than not being able to feel alive_, ya' know?...."

"Seriously, _what a whiny child_...." Sumire said that like it's supposed to be an insult but she's just playing with his messy hair. "... There's no other reason you need to know why we chose to stay._** If we're gonna die here then we will just die here**_. It's as simple as that...."

".... Even as an _**Ultimate Despair**_, _you're just as arrogant as your current self_...." That thin line between the _Ultimate Despair_ and _Ultimate Private Investigator_ is... _slowly diminishing the more I get to know this person_. It feels sort of wrong? _Like I don't really know everything about them_....

"If it's truly against nature's rule that I shouldn't be arrogant then I should've stayed as a corpse. Ah, that's right..._ I forgot to cast this curse at least on you_...."

"_A-A curse_..?" What is this about? What's with this '_casting curse_' thing? Isn't that a witch's thing?

"I cast the same curse onto Eiichi and Nara before, it still lingers around them even until death claimed almost the both of them so...." She placed her finger in front of her mouth. "_You will be regarded as a special kid_, _Mochizuki Higura_. Once you've stepped outside of this killing game, the spotlight that those two once had will shine on you now. _People will eventually know and they will all depend on **you **for guidance_. No matter what, people will never see you as a lesser form. _**That's what you're afraid of before**_, _**right?**_ In the end,_ you will be carrying the weight of everyone's expectations_ and it will come crashing down when everything goes wrong, _and_ _everyone wants someone to put the blame on_. **_That will be your curse_**. Now, run along now, that's all I have to say...."

_A curse... that she cast on me_. "I will keep that in mind...... You know, I'm going to miss everyone who died here and..... _**I'm going to miss her the most**_...."

I was expecting an insult or even close to a death threat but instead I got; ".... Well, I'm feeling rather gross right now so I guess she's saying _**she will miss you guys too**_....."

"What's wrong? _Is having a puppet's heart that's grown too emotional really hard to comprehend?_" Hisao asked.

"It's a far greater insult that a useless facade has grown a lot more than the real deal...." said Sumire, looking sideways. "It really shows how_** a lie that's grown and nurtured was better accepted as the truth for everyone else**_...."

And with that last sentence, _I left the trial room, for good this time._

* * *

"_Nara has all the access to the door now, she can open the door until the Future Foundation arrived soon_...."

"Thank you, Nara..." The mysterious metal door that we found before the fourth trial, the same door we thought that could lead to our freedom. Standing before the door itself, there were nine people who discovered it._ Now, only four people stood in front it_.

"They're going to destroy the whole island..._ especially with these remains as well_...." Hibiki stared at all the human remains that made up the catacombs. "They won't be able to collect them all for a proper burial....."

"Right.... I guess they will just have to erect a cenotaph if they didn't....." said Hiroshi. ".... It's still unbelievable that we're able to escape this place...."

"Well,_ not everyone will escape_....." _Sumire and Hisao_. They're really content in staying at that trial room, waiting to be crushed to death. It's absurd. No matter how many times I witnessed deaths on this island, _I have never seen anyone who would willingly die when they have the chance to escape_.

"Say, do you think it's wise we should leave those two behind..? Especially with....." Hibiki didn't continue her words, but Hiroshi and I knew where she's going with that.

"It's part of the rules they've set up but..... _it still feels wrong leaving Sumi behind_....." the abseiler quietly muttered.

"... _Nara_..." I turned to the broken-Monomyou, still feeling unsatisfied from talking to the previous two people behind this mess. ".... There's something else you've been hiding from us, right? Just... _where are you right now?_ _And how did you know it's gonna Eiichi the one who will help you hacked into the system here?_"

"_Mhn! Nara really can't escape Hira's rather sharp senses!! That's what Nara's so afraid of!!_"

"It's weird that you said you can't find our location on the map.... _but still managed to find this place nonetheless_...." And she's still part of the plan that Sumire mentioned, no matter how you look at it; _her mentioning to be responsible for Monomyou's creation and actually expecting Eiichi to patch her through the network_. "You.... _really are going to tell us the truth, right?_"

The hacker went silent for a moment, all we heard is the rumbling from the above us, where the resort is slowly falling apart and will be left with nothing but in ruins. "_Nara... believes it will take a while but eventually everyone will understand it one day..... Ah! The Future Foundation is in front of the doors now!!_" she told us. "_Nara will have to disconnect from Monomyou to open the doors entirely... please stand-by and relax!_"

The lights from the battered Monomyou disappeared as it collapse onto the ground, _leaving the three of us_. _**Three **_survivors, _out of **sixteen**_. I took a glimpse at the writing above the door again, "**When there is life, there is** _hope_..."

I think my reason for why I even recognized it back then.... _**was entirely wrong**_. It was an entirely different reason that I forgot but..._ it still sounds familiar to me for some reason_.

"Just like Eiichi, Sumire refused to tell us everything, _what a fucking ass_...." a smile tugged around the corner of my mouth as I placed my hand on the door. "_Cryptic, useless and absolutely horrible for keeping us in suspense_, leaving us to find it ourselves so that we could brace ourselves for some fucked-up shit that they've done...."

"About _**Genesis**_..... do you really think... they will seriously hunt us down?" Hiroshi asked worryingly. "What if Nara's wrong, what if she thought the people in front of the door right now were the Future Foundation... _but instead it was by those people who started it all?_"

"_**Then we will fight**_....." No matter how hard they tried to trap us in here, _we will never give up on surviving_. "I'm not sure about you guys but I'm really stoked to fight some ungrateful bastards who does this kind of shit for many years now!"

"Y-You will get hurt instead...." Hiroshi sighed, as he also placed his hand on the door. "Well, can't really help it. I will do the same as well if we ever met those people again. _Even though they will surely overpower two rather weakly boys in just mere seconds_..."

"_**Hey**_...."

"Don't be too negative, _Roshi_....." Hibiki giggles, doing the same thing as we do now. "Because I will be by you guys' side as well. It doesn't look like it but I'm quite a fighter myself as well...."

".... _**Hah**?_"

"W-Why are you guys expressing your disbelief right now!?" the singer exclaimed in shock. "A-Anyways, strong or not, we will overcome any hardship the lies ahead, right,_ Hira?_"

'_People will eventually know and they will all depend on **you **for guidance..'_

Just what on earth does she mean by that curse? Is that supposed to be my warning or is she trying to mess with my judgement again? If the thing that I'm trying to do from now on will lead me to that path then.... "_Yeah, no matter what, we have each other's back. We will get through this_...."

The metal doors to freedom made a beeping noise as it slowly shifted, opening ever so slightly to basking the inside of the catacombs with the outside world's light. While the moment of freedom is right in front of us, the words of the mastermind still repeats in my head;

_'Ultimate Despair_, _I don't really get jackshit on what you're trying to tell me but if it's about how the world is going to perceived us as just some broken toys that you and Genesis discarded, that we needed to be care for. **Then I will rip apart that image**, we're not gonna just sit there and take it all in. We're stronger than that, don't fucking underestimate us like that!! Even weak rabbits like us needed a bit of a payback for we've been through_....'

'_If The Genesis really wanted to hunt us down then **we will retaliate**. We will show what we're capable of after going through that killing game. That crazy psychologist might appreciate what I'm about to say here; **you gave us the right amount of pain for us to become even stronger in the future for our survival**_....'

* * *

"_Even though you lost, you really can't help but to cast another curse, huh?_"

"And what's wrong with that?" Right as we were about to get crushed underneath the former location of the_ Experimental Killing Game_, this talking corpse still has the nerve to complained. "One more curse to put it out there... _and we shall see how he will weave his own story with the others from there on_..."

"You said that but we will die anyways...." the psychologist sighed. "We won't get to see their story played out. But if I have to guess, _what's going to happened after this will be much more rough than what we have to faced back then_...."

"Yeah, that was our story back then.... _that will be have to be told as a lie and forgotten to save face_....." Those two years worth of memories brought us nothing but just empty promises. _**Such despair**_. "Oh well, it doesn't matter, it doesn't relate back to us. _It's better to pass the torch to the next set of actors_...."

"Ah, that's right, I didn't get to ask you this....." Hisao looked upwards to meet my gaze. "You really like to weaved different stories and role for others whatever you see fit. Why is that?"

"Because it's interesting to see how will they fulfill that role to me! Unlike me, who is flexible in all the roles the world forced onto me, there are others who weren't unsure of themselves on where to fit in. _Which is specifically why I gave those roles away_.... _**I wanna to see them either succeeded or get crushed entirely, to be discouraged so heavily for what they've done**_..... I'm more interested in results and their possibilities after all!"

"Uwah, _such a villainous line_...." his face scrunched up in disgust. "So the curse you gave to Higura... _is one of the roles you gave?_"

"Hmm, _so-and-so_...." I simply replied. "It would be interesting to see how well he will do with that curse. A curse so awfully vague would easily plague their mind with worry and fear. Quite remarkable I was able to do that still when I'm not there physically. _**The next set of actors' fate rested on their hands, they're going to *spin their tale for them**_...."

_With the end approaching, a resounded applause was heard for us to move onto **our next play**_.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *to spin their tale = the kanji used here is 紡 which can read as 'tsumugu'. Sounds oddly familiar....
> 
> Last kanji play for the chapter!! Thank you for sticking around for a magnificent tale!!  
Stay tuned for the Afterwords and Extra Chapter!!
> 
> Any questions about the story or for future stuffs, you can ask me on my tumblr [here](https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/) !


	44. Afterwords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some monologue by the author themselves!

Hiya! _**Ceryil**_'s here with the closing monologue of the first story of the series, _'**The Magnificient Despairful Showtime!'**_. A little bit of my background and relationship with the Danganronpa franchise; I was actually a fan of the series during the fan translation era (_I was still in high school around that time) _but I was sort of in-and-out of the fandom because I was also in the middle of a really big exam until I became inactive after that.

Then, I came back into the fandom last year (_yeah, that was a huge gap www_) because I just saw some fanart for V3 (_surprisingly I didn't get spoiled during my break from the fandom_) and thought to myself, _"Huh, it's been a while, maybe I should go back and see how they're doing?"_

_'Lo and behold_, I watched the full game play of V3 and fell in love with the series all over again. Murder mysteries has always been my thing since high school and it still is so I'm glad V3 managed to maintained that mystery level after all these years while still have some funny moment and some heartbreaking moments (_<strike>I'M TALKING TO YOU, V3 CHAPTER 4</strike>_).

What actually made me fell in love with V3 was _the characters themselves_. While not all of the characters are my favorite, I still appreciate the depth and thoughts that were put into them (_with some wonky character writing that's still a glaring issue in the franchise_). Unsurprisingly, _Kokichi is obviously my favorite character_ because I've been waiting for so long for a morally grey character to be in the franchise (_I would count Komaeda as one as well?? But I'm still not sure about that_).

Kokichi's thoughts, actions and even how he handles the class trial has always been fascinating to me. The way he just annoyed anyone into thinking he's just someone who lies a lot... only for that to shocked everyone into realizing he knows more than anyone and actually made use of the situation they're in right now. He actually listened to what everyone has to say and take note of it later while also made use of everyone's talents, _that's some resourceful shit right there_.

He's a little shit, I won't deny that but he's a really interesting character to me at that time! (Also, he's voiced by one of my favorite seiyuu, _Hiro Shimono, the King of Karaage!! Would that probably make Kokichi, the King of Panta then!?_)

Okay, let's just shortened the backstory right now, my love for V3 reignited the passion I had back then. I was afraid that V3 wouldn't live up to the expectation and while it's passable (_to some people maybe_), I'm still surprised by the twists and turns in that game! Though I was a bit disappointed that it didn't follow the main timeline but it still works as an acceptable entry for its _**Truth vs. Lie**_ theme as opposed to _**Hope vs. Despair**_!

Back then, I always wanted to make a Danganronpa series on my own but the Fanganronpa fandom wasn't really big back then (_they're mostly sprite editors but that's about it_) and I'm just a shy peanut to even show it online. So imagine my surprise when I came back to the fandom and saw a bunch of Fanganronpa concepts that were actually made into a game and everyone supported that idea!

I'm neither a tech nor art person (_mostly science-based_) because I don't have strong commitment to do it all (_R.I.P my artblog www_) but I still wanna share this concept I had a few years ago with some touch-ups and all that. So I posted the story on this website and just went wild with it. It was purely for my enjoyment, not gonna lie, but once I received some comments about it, I'm just, "_Okay, wow, someone actually read something that's just my self-indulgence?_" I was quite nervous, not gonna lie wwww

After that, I decided to give it my best to tell the story that my younger self thought up (_and what I added in now which became a really bigger story to tell that's wouldn't fit into one installment, **yikes**_). It was a bit rough, there are some concepts that didn't made it in the main story but may appear later down in the series. But in the end, even with its minor hiccups that the story still suffers from, _I'm still proud of it_.

I'm still not gonna promise this but I will come back to the story, updated some minor errors and possibly some CGs in it? If I have time? Or even feel motivated to draw? I won't abandoned the first story that took me four months to finish!! [ _And that's only the_ _**beginning **_:) ]

Well, that's enough the sentiment! I'm grateful everyone who sticks around to see the ending that the characters decided for themselves! Their story is not yet over so the future still awaits!

And to all the readers, _Monomyou would like to thank you for your participation, to witness such a **magnificent **play done by their beloved performers! May we see you again in **the next act**!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any questions about the story or for future stuffs, you can ask me on my tumblr [here](https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/) !


	45. Extra Materials Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter that I record all my thought process that went into each chapter and then just butchered everything :D

Welcome to the '_Extra Chapter_' or I would like to call it _'Miscellaneous shit I decided to put or not to put in the story' Chapter!_

It's an extra information thing about each story chapter and thoughts behind everything while also mentioned some scrapped ideas for each and every one of them.

I also put my thought process into creating the characters which would be hilarious _because I'm weak in explaining shit about what I do to be honest_.

* * *

[ **CHAPTER I - _RIOT OF FLOWER__S_** ]

  * The chapter's title, _'**Riot Of Flowers**'_, is a Japanese four-kanji idiom [ '_**Hyakka Ryouran**'_ (百花繚乱) ] which roughly translates to_ 'hundred of flower blooming altogether'_. Most people interpret this idiom as _'hundred of like-minded people gathering in one spot'_ or even use_ 'excellent people'_ instead.
  * The idiom kind of alludes to Eiichi's attempt to create _'The Survival Group'_ who wishes to escape instead of just being confined in due to the killing game rules.
  * It can also allude to Homare and Hinako, both who wanted to escape the place but refused to succumbed into malicious intents. But due to some _**mistake**_, things have gone south instead for them.
  * With the context of _Chapter Six_, the title of the_ Chapter One _already hinted for _'The Survival Group'_ to have a bigger role in the story.

  * Sumire's past self was shown in certain scenes, mocking her current self for being too overly cautious of things.
  * Eiichi's motive video was just a blank screen because _The Genesis_ can't track down any of his family or even find any records about them existing (as he has burned them all and got rid of any ties to his families when he became the _Ultimate Spy_).
  * Hinako's execution was inspired by _Pavlov's Theory_, a learning procedure of pairing a stimulus with a conditioned response (_every time someone rings a bell [**stimulus**], your first response is to always check through the window [**conditioned response**]_). The experiment was conducted on Pavlov's dog hence the use of a robotic dog in her execution.
  * Ironically, she mentioned Monomyou's attempt for the killing game to start by providing a motive is similar to '_Classical __Conditioning_' which is what _Pavlov's Theory_ currently known as.
  * Eiichi broke character at the end of the chapter, showing his true self for a moment there.

[ **CHAPTER II - _LITTLE PIPER MARCH_** ]

  * The chapter title is inspired by _**Pied Piper of Hamelin**, _the piper who lead rats out of the town using his pipe song and as punishment for the townsfolk, who begged him to remove them in the first place but refused to pay him afterwards, the pied piper lead the children out of the town.
  * Eiichi did something similar here; he ratted out Saku's true involvement with the murder when he refused to admit defeat during the trials even though he helped him commit it in the first place. He did the same with Renma for hiding his true ultimate talent.
  * An indirect connection, Amane and Sumire were listening to _**Danse Macabre**_ (_Dance of Death_) during the composer's free time event. In one of the endings of _Hamelin_, the children followed the pied piper while singing and dancing altogether as they were lead to the river where they will be drowned like the rats earlier.

  * Eiichi's giving Amane and Sumire a musical cryptography sheet was a clear hint to his _**Ultimate Spy**_ title.
  * Everyone have already guessed that an organisation is behind this mess (_**The Genesis**_) but their mind instead focused on the Ultimate Despair as a whole during _Chapter Three_.
  * Renma and Eiichi's exchange at the hotel reception is basically about the mortuary that Renma had from the start, the gift that Eiichi got for him were actually_** surgical tools **_(from his own bedroom) that Shoma will later be seen with.
  * Sumire's secret motive questions clearly hinted her involvement in the killing game.
  1. _**Three blind mice executed**_ = _Three students, who investigated the disappearance case, blindly following The Genesis and will be killed because of it_.
  2. **Eyes everywhere** = While referring to the security cameras that Monomyou and Hisao used as well, it can also refer to The Genesis watching the killing game from the outside.

  * Saku's execution tittle '_Hammerhead_' is also an aerobat maneuver used in grading competitions. '_Amazing Glider_' was Saku's nickname during his competitive years before entering the Ultimate Academy.
  * His method of execution is also the same way his juniors died in his last and final competition.
  * _Shoma asking Sumire if she's happy with her ultimate title_; at this point, he already confront Eiichi about his secret motive and learned everything about the past and the purpose of the killing game.

[ **CHAPTER III - _A HEAVENLY DRAMATURGY_** ]

  * '_**Dramaturgy**_' means theory and practice of dramatic composition. The group performs the play,_ '**Goethe's Faust**_'.
  * The play alludes to the main character's involvement in _**The Genesis**_' plan;
  1. The Devil (_Sumire_) offers Faust (_Eiichi_) for something he's longing for.
  2. Faust must obliged to The Devil's wish to achieve his needs. (_Much like Eiichi is loyal to Sumire during their time at the academy_).

  * Eiichi's strong reaction to Sumire mentioning the Ultimate Despair was actually him breaking character again, only to recover quickly with a joke.
  * "_What if she's the future culprit and she purposely mislead you all?_" - Eiichi literally told them their future here.
  * If Nao's execution was visualized, the decaying Mini-myous would represent each deceased authors whom she worked for in their place and continue their work while claiming all the fame. Here, she was punished by those authors for stealing their fortune and not direct those fortune towards their grieving families.

  * The flashback memory here is fake and is an implant but it did showed Sumire's true personality for a brief moment there.
  * Eiichi not caring if he dies or not just shows his dedication as a spy. One of his wish was to get killed by Sumire who will feel guilty about it (and possibly made her fall into despair easily).
  * _"I will make it a quick and painless death"_ \- Referring to the _**NG Code Poisoning**_.

[ **CHAPTER IV - _HOUSE OF CARDS_** ]

  * '_**House Of Cards**_' is an expression which means '_a shaky argument or organisation that stacked up precariously will collapse if removed a certain elements or gets knocked down on purpose_'.
  * The group falls apart with Renma and Shoma fighting, figuring out Eiichi's fake player status, Mitsuru murdered Renma and Sumire's uncertainty in trusting Eiichi again.
  * Eiichi is that certain element on why the group is in disarray, with him giving up on helping them.
  * _The Survival Group_ also falls apart with Sumire and Taiga finding out weird inconsistencies between Eiichi and Monomyou.

  * An unused puzzle piece for the labyrinth quiz was that either Sumire or Higura to offer their blood for certain paths to opened up. But because of the use of kanji here, Sumire instead cuts her hair as an offering. It was accepted.
  * Mitsuru's execution is more direct but slow, '_**Chelating Reaction**_' refers to the removal of toxic metals in the body (lead, arsenic, etc.) but in this case, it just removes the nutrients in the body (calcium, etc) and also lead to cardiac arrhythmia.
  * _Chelating Agent_ exists in both medical field and hair-care products (to remove metal and minerals that could damage your hair).
  * The person who sees Eiichi after the trial to make another deal was _Amahiko Shoma_.

[ **CHAPTER V - _ALPTRAUM'S HYMN_** ]

  * '_**Alptraum**_' is a German word for '_**Nightmare**_' while '_**Hymn**_' is a '_**song of praises**_', the word derived from the _Late Latin_ word, '_**hymnus**_'. Both words together were roughly translated as, '_**Anthem of Nightmare**_'.
  * The title focuses on _**Eiichi **_and _**Sumire**_, and their dilemma. The chapter also begins with Shoma waking up from a nightmare.
  * '_**Dies Irae**_' (_**The Day of Wrath**_) is another Latin hymn sung in a mass for the dead.
  * Taiga's execution title, _**Fusillading**_, means _'to fire simultaneously at command'_. It is also known as the capital punishment (_**executed by firing squad**_), common in military during the war and also referring to Taiga's military background.
  * Shoma's execution supposed to be based on _Houdini's Water Escape Trick_ with a few exceptions (absence usage of box etc.).

[ **PROLOGUE &** **CHAPTER V - _CURTAINS ARISE! & CURTAINS CALL! _**]

  * '_Curtains Arise!_' signifies the beginning of a play while '_Curtains Call!_' means for the performers to appear on the stage after the play to acknowledge the audience's applause.
  * Both titles were referring to the whole killing game being watched by _**The Genesis and Future Foundation at the end.**_
  * To be honest both chapters have spoilers for future stories, so I will just leave it here. ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

**[ _CHARACTER CREATION PROCESS_]**

  * My first thought when creating _**Eiichi **_was just _'A Mamoru Miyano character but it's not voiced by Mamoru Miyano'_.
  * The fun part about writing his **_Ultimate Conman_** self is that he just goes with the flow. He doesn't really have a main goal when using that disguise and it's also just an excuse for me to go feral through his writing.
  * **_Sumire _**was planned to be more forceful and rather invasive but that was scrapped so she become more reclusive and calculative instead (_and later brought back for her Despair self_ www)
  * One character who's actually more of a self-insert is **_Oki Renma_**, I basically based him off of my spiritual experiences.
  * One character who's the opposite of me is _**Asami Mitsuru**_, and let me tell you this; I rewrote her several times just to try and match her energy.
  * The hardest character to write has to be **_Mafuyu Hisao _(Psychologist)** because of him trying not to take sides in the story.
  * The character I shared the same study field with is **_Hanabusa Hinako, Ultimate Animal Behaviorist_** (_Another self-insert, I guess www_)

  * I did a lot of intensive research for **_Saku, Kiharu, Hiroshi_** and **_Hibiki_**' for their Ultimate Talents. 
  * The easiest to write were **_Hinako, Homare, Shoma, Nao_** and **_Amane_**. 
  * There are two animal-related Ultimate Talents because my Veterinarian ass wanted to see more animal-related talents www 
  * I tried not to give them over-the-top and troublesome background but the one thing I actually gave to them all equally is **_miscommunication_ **:^)
  * I really just created them based on songs and their HC seiyuu so just.... _take that as an explanation_. 

**[ _OTHER CHARACTER FACTS_]** ****

  * Renma and Machi went to the same all-boys school before entering the _Ultimate Academy_. Renma was a senior (_was held back once_) while Machi was his junior. Renma didn't recognized Machi during the killing game because _'his spiritual energy seems different' _while Machi avoided him most of his school years due to his bad reputation.
  * Higura and Homare have met once when they were really young but were taught to never trust other families hence their hostile attitude towards each other during _Chapter One_ (but they settled their differences aside after their time at the academy).
  * Sumire heard about the accident case from Saku's secret motive (not under his name) but was forbidden from ever investigating it by her mentor (due to a slight cover-up going on).
  * Nao have worked with Hinako (her research) and Amane in the past before, but never met in person.
  * Shoma and Hinako have met before for their research but just...._ don't really acknowledged each other at that time_. 
  * Hiroshi and Taiga's conversation are mostly in Kansai-ben (but with others, they talked rather normally), which is what made them closer friends. 
  * Literally every character here have seen Higura on television before (when he was a child actor still). They just didn't associate that cheerful personality with him to actually remember that moment lmao.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you for sticking around for the story!
> 
> Any questions about the story or for future stuffs, you can ask me on my tumblr [here](https://rabbitatelier.tumblr.com/) !


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